Iris
by Bastille Kain
Summary: Instead of staying at a motel when she first arrives in Sunnydale, because of a lack of money, Faith is forced to stay with Buffy while she tries to regain her bearings.
1. Chap 1: Something for Nothing

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Author Notes: Concerning Reviews

Love to get them, love reading what people think about the stories I've been posting, but when you're being critical I need a little more to go then: needs work.

Tell me what you think needs work; the grammar, spelling, plot, character interactions, use of past and present tenses.

I can't grow as a writer, make my stories better, more enjoyable for you- the people reading them- if I'm not given a clue, some small hint, as to what you feel I'm doing wrong.

If fanfiction doesn't give you enough space to address my inadequacies, or if you have questions about a story please feel free to email me privately at the email address listed below. Just be sure to clearly mark it as such, Review then story name. I will get back to you. In a reasonable amount of time even.

Thanks for your patience, thanks for reading, and thanks for the feedback.

On with the Story.

Kain

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Author: Kain

Title: Iris

Disclaimer: Aside from a few Original Character's I created I own nothing. The character's of Buffy, Angel, and any other show that happens to be unforunate enough to wind up being used here belong to other people.

Spoilers: Season Three mainly, but anything and everything

Summary: Instead of staying at a motel when she first arrives in Sunnydale, because of a lack of money, Faith is forced to stay with Buffy while she tries to regain her bearings.

Pairings: F/B

Rating: PG-13. Mild Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

Feedback: Is always apprectiated. Just try to keep it construtive.

Email: Kain6639@yahoo.com

Archive: If you like it that much, sure. Just be sure to let me know where it's going, and give me the credit, good or bad, for my work.

__

Chapter One: Something for Nothing

Faith breaths deeply before exhaling slowly as she closes the telephone book after finding the address she was looking for. She was glad her watcher had told her about the other slayer, her name, and a few of the stories that her legend had been built up around. Faith doubted if half the things her watcher had told her about Buffy Summers would turn out to be true. All she was really hoping for was to find a place she might be able to crash at for a few days. Give her a chance to rest and recuperate from the hell trip she had been on for the past few weeks.

Faith actually hated very few things. Most of which she had forgotten how much so in the last few months, ever since her watcher had found her. Making most of her fears practically vanish over night. Of course, new ones replaced old, but now old fears were back along with the new ones. Her stomach growls reminding her how long it had been since her last meal. She had gotten too comfortable with her new life if a measly forty-eight hours with nothing but table scrapes for a meal made her feel this miserable. She should have remembered just how quickly life could turn you on your ear leaving you out in the cold.

She hoped it would take Kakistos awhile to track her down. She had thought she was as tough as they came, that there was nothing in the world capable of frightening her. After seeing what he was capable of she knew she had never truly felt terror before. The thought that she might have to face him someday was nearly enough to make her consider taking her own life. If left with no other option she might, if for no other reason then just spite him in the end.

Maybe this other slayer would be able provide her with a few days worth of shelter. Maybe even a temporary sanctuary. She even toyed with the idea that the two of them together would be able to kill off Kakistos. She had to constantly remind herself just how powerful the master vampire was and that her only hope of continued survival lay in her ability to disappear whenever he came to close to her.

She eyes the house at 1630 Revello drive suspiciously. It looks as if it had seen some major action recently. The front door looks like it had just been replaced a few days ago. The casing still had to be repainted. The big bay window frame was the same. As she made her across the lawn to the oak tree on the side of the house, she wonders what might have caused that kind of damage yet leaves the house untouched on either side. She shakes her head driving the thought out of her head as she quickly scampers up the large tree. She jumps from one of the branches silently landing on the small roof.

Peering into the window, she can make out the tiny form of the petite blonde writhing on the bed. The expression on her face a mixture of relief turned into anguish. Faith knew what that was like having to deal with her prophetic dreams. As she stares in on the angelic creature tossing restlessly on her bed, she swears she was able to feel a connection with her. She pushes the thought away as something out of one of her fantasies, where somebody cared about her. There was only one person that she could depend on to provide for her wellbeing and that person was herself.

She taps lightly on the window and nearly falls off the small roof as the blond bolts awake instantly at the light sound. Buffy easily settles into a relaxed fighting stance after rolling from her bed. A curious expression flitting across her face as her eyes pick out the young raven-hair girl crouched on the roof outside her window.

Faith pushes the window up slightly, "hey," she greets Buffy brightly. Pushing the window the rest of the way up, "you wouldn't be Buffy Summers?" She questions the tiny blonde standing in the middle of the floor as she drops her leather duffel bag onto the floor inside Buffy's room.

Buffy stares incredulously at the brunette's audacity, "why do you wanna know?" She asks her cautiously.

"Well," Faith begins but stops. "Mind if I come in?" She questions Buffy as she slips into the room.

Buffy shrugs a bare fraction, "since you don't have to wait to be invited," Buffy mumbles to herself. The girls action answering one of Buffy's questions, "knock yourself out."

"Thanks," Faith replies enthusiastically as she turns her back on Buffy. "Who would've thought Cali would be so friggin chilly," she remarks casually as she shuts Buffy's window.

"Yeah, who." She starts to agree, "Who the hell are you?" She finally asks as her temper begins to get the better of her.

"So you're the infamous Buffy Summers," Faith says in awe looking Buffy up and down disbelievingly.

"I think the important fact... The main detail I'm missing here," Buffy breathes out coldly. "Is who exactly you are." She says letting her annoyance show in her words.

Faith ignores Buffy for the moment, as she looks around the room, "nice," she mumbles taking in the decor. "A little girlie for my taste, but nice."

Buffy feels a smile tugging at the corner of her lips; she was really going to enjoy herself in just a few minutes. "So glad it meets with your approval," Buffy remarks stepping forward threateningly. "For the last."

Faith sticks out her hand deciding this had to be the girl she was looking for. Only a slayer, or a psychopath, would try intimidating some stranger who barged into their room in the middle of the night. "I'm Faith. The vampire slayer."

Buffy stares at the raven-hair girl standing in front of her. She had not been planning on dealing on dealing with another slayer yet, or ever for that matter. At least this girl had more of a personality then Kendra, not as much sanity but lots of personality. Buffy shakes her head slightly as she smiles, taking Faith's hand in her own she squeezes lightly. For her and Faith it was light, just about anybody else would be grimacing in pain right about now. Faith's grin broadens as she matches the pressure Buffy is applying.

"Nice to meet you Faith, I'm Buffy. The vampire slayer."

Joyce stops just outside the kitchen as she hears a strange girl's voice coming from within. "Like, the worst heat wave. So it's about a hundred and eighteen degrees and I'm sleeping without a stitch on," the voice pauses for a moment before coming back sounding slightly garbled. "And all of a sudden," there's another slight pause as her voice clears up. "I hear this screaming from outside. So I go tearing out, stark nude, and this church bus has broke down, and there's these three vamps feasting," another pause in the girls story as Joyce hears the clatter of silverware. The girls voice comes back sounding garbled again and Joyce can picture the girl shoveling food into her mouth. "On half the Baptists in South Boston," another small break as the girl must have swallowed her food. "So I waste the vamps, and the preacher comes up, and he's hugging me like there's no tomorrow, when all of a sudden, the cops pull up and they arrested us both. So B, what was your toughest slay?"

Joyce can practically see her daughters reticent expression as she replies somberly, "they're all pretty tough," she says evasively.

"Truth here B," the other girl says enthusiastically. "Did you really shoot off a rocket launcher at the mall one time?"

There's another pause as Buffy debates. Only a few seconds pass before her daughter's voice can be heard saying, "set off the sprinklers and everything."

"Come on girl details, why'd you do it?" The other girl pushes for the whole story, "I mean you don't break out the heavy artillery for some lowly nest of vamps, this had to be something serious. I mean rocket launcher."

"You really wanna know?" Buffy asks somewhat hesitatingly.

"Damn B, hell yeah I wanna know," the other girl enthuses forcefully.

"Okay," Buffy replies cheerfully in a tone of voice Joyce hadn't heard from her daughter in a long time. "Spike and Drusilla had assembled this wicked old demon called the Judge, kinda looked like a giant Smurf with horns. His mission was to burn the scourge of humanity from the Earth, and that was exactly what he could do. If there was even the slightest bit of humanity in you he could burn you to ash. Last time it took an army to stop him, hacked him into little pieces, sealed him boxes and spread him all over the planet. No time to get an army together this time, like they believe us anyway, so Xander came up with this idea and him and the gang stole a rocket launcher from the local army base in Sunnydale. You should have seen the expression on his face as all the vamps were running and ducking for cover, he had absolutely no idea what was going to happen, completely clueless."

"Man," Joyce hears the other girl breath out in awed tones. "What else have you got B, you gotta have a ton of great stories. I mean you've been doing this for awhile now."

"Well, nothing to really compare to you dusting vamps bare back. Which never ever tell that story to Xander unless you wanna see just how much saliva the teenage male can produce," Buffy says conspiratorial. There was a slight pause before Buffy begins another story. "There was this one time I kinda got sucked into this hell dimension that was kidnapping homeless teenagers for forced labor supply. A hundred years would pass there before a day went by in our world. I got to lead a big old revolt, kicked some major demon butt, and show there leader, Ken, my Ghandi impersonation."

Joyce decides that now would be good time to enter the kitchen before the two girls can start another story. She sees Buffy taking what appears to be a golf swing, "you know," she continues happily, "if he was really pissed off. They kind of revoked my interdimensional visa once I got back across the border."

"Morning honey," Joyce greets her daughter placing a light kiss on the top of her head. "I didn't realize you were going to be having friends over this early in the morning."

"Oh, Faith's not a friend mom," Buffy replies quickly then stops as she hears the words that just came out of her mouth. She scrunches her eyes closed, "I mean Faith's not a friend yet, unless a few hours of shop talk over several bowls of cold cereal does friendship make," she tries to explain but only makes herself slightly more confused. "Sorry Faith, I really didn't mean that the way it sounded."

Faith shrugs slightly, "it's cool B." She replies numbly, "five by five."

Buffy gives Faith a curios look for a moment at the flat sound of her voice, it just sounded off to the very animated way she had sounded before. "Faith this my mom, mom this is Faith the vampire slayer." Buffy says introducing the two women.

Joyce shakes Faith hand, "you're a slayer too." She says smiling, "isn't that interesting. Do you like it?" She asks quickly.

Faith beams at the question, "God, I love it," she answers cheerfully.

Joyce moves to the counter turning on the electric percolator, "you know Buffy doesn't talks that way. Why do you love it?" She inquires curiously as she turns back around to watch the young girl.

Faith seems to look inwardly for second, she had never had to vocalize what it was she felt when she was out slaying. "Well, when I'm fighting, it's like the whole world goes away and I only know one thing, that I'm gonna win and they're gonna lose. I like that feelin'." She enthuses cheerily.

Buffy smiles unable to keep her mouth close, "well, sure. Beats that dead feeling you get when they win and you lose," she quips lightly.

Faith shakes her head at Buffy's comment, "I don't let that kind of negative thinking in," Faith replies looking over at Buffy.

"Right," Joyce responds pointing at Faith. "Right," she adds with another point of her finger as if she suddenly understands something. "That could get you hurt. Buffy can be awful negative sometimes," Joyce confides to Faith. Then she turns her head slightly to look at Buffy, "see honey you got to fight that."

"So, Faith what brings you out to Sunnydale?" Buffy asks quickly hoping she's able to divert attention from her. It was one stupid little joke. She didn't need everybody and her mother jumping down her throat over it.

Faith shrugs, "figured it was the perfect time to skip out. What with all the watchers being off in England for their two week retreat."

Buffy looks at Faith slightly confused, "Giles didn't go off on vacation." She remarks quietly almost speaking to herself.

"Someplace out in the Country side or something like that," she finishes slowly.

"What about school?" Joyce asks suddenly, "aren't your parents concerned about all the time you're going to be missing?"

"They might have been," Faith starts off sounding extremely blase. Buffy noted it was the same tone off voice she had used earlier when she had made her slip about not being friends. "You know... If they had cared enough to keep me in the first place." She curses herself for letting something so personal slip. That was what happened when she let herself forget to keep her guard in place.

"Oh," Joyce breathes out slowly. She could almost feel the girls pain. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

Faith shakes her head clearing the emotional cobwebs that constantly seem to build up, "nothing for you to feel sorry for Mrs. S. You didn't do anything."

"What about your watcher?" Joyce asks, "surely if she's anything like Mr. Giles she'd be concerned about you not attending classes." Joyce says thinking about how much Buffy's watcher actually acted almost like her daughter's father.

Faith almost laughs at the statement, aside from training and making sure Faith went out on patrols her watcher couldn't have cared less what Faith did. The fact that she had taken Faith in off the streets, made sure she always had clean clothes, plenty to eat, a comfortable bed to sleep in, and a hot bath when she got back from her nightly patrols, her watcher was about as personable as a rattle snake after you stepped on it's tail. Still the woman had done a lot for Faith in the few months she had been her watcher, it had made a small place in her heart for the uptight English bitch.

If Buffy hadn't been watching Faith when her mother had asked about her watcher she never would have seen the slight flicker of grief that had flickered through her expression. It was there and gone so fast Buffy had almost thought she had imagined it.

"She tried," Faith admits with a shrug. "But school's just not my thing. Being stuck in stuffy rooms all day long, listening to boring people tell you what you should be doing with your life." She shrugs again, "just ain't my scene. You know?"

________________________________________________________________________

Iris - Goo Goo Dolls

And I'd give up forever to touch you  
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow  
You're the closest to heaven that I'll   
ever be  
And I don't want to go home right now  
  
And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breathe is your life  
'Cause sooner or later it's over  
I just don't want to miss you tonight  
  
And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd   
understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am  
  
And you can't fight the tears that ain't   
coming  
Or the moment of truth in your lies  
When everything feels like the movies  
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive  
  
And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd   
understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am  
  
And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd   
understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am  
  
And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd   
understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am  
  
I just want you to know who I am  
I just want you to know who I am  
I just want you to know who I am

________________________________________________________________________

Something for Nothing - Rush

Waiting for the winds of change  
To sweep the clouds away  
Waiting for the rainbow's end  
To cast its gold your way  
Countless ways  
You pass the days  
  
Waiting for someone to call  
And turn your world around  
Looking for an answer  
To the question you have found  
Looking for  
An open door  
  
You don't get something for nothing  
You can't have freedom for free  
You won't get wise  
With the sleep still in your eyes  
No matter what your dreams might be  
  
What you own is your own kingdom  
What you do is your own glory  
What you love is your own power  
What you live is your own story  
In your head is the answer  
Let it guide you along  
Let your heart be the anchor  
And the beat of your own song  
  
You don't get something for nothing  
You can't have freedom for free  
You won't get wise  
With the sleep still in your eyes  
No matter what your dreams might be


	2. Chap 2: All You Wanted

__

Chapter Two: All You Wanted

"B, I am really, really sorry." Faith apologizes to the small blonde practically bouncing from foot to foot as Buffy spreads out a checkered blanket underneath a thick oak tree. "About spilling the beans to your mom about how being a slayer works," she adds as she shifts the packed Tupperware container from hand to hand. "She was just so cool with everything it never clicked, you know, her not knowing one being called till the first one died."

She wondered how the older slayer could just sit there so calmly when she felt like she would burst at the seams if she didn't find some action. She'd always been a big bundle of energy growing up it was one of the reason's none of the foster families had wanted to adopt her. It was nothing though compared to the energy she felt flowing through her since she was called.

"It's no big, Faith." Buffy assures the hyperactive slayer, "true. It'll mean the little freedom I had is going to disappear faster then Marcie, but it'll be cool having overprotective mom around for awhile."

Faith hands Buffy the clear container, "we're friggin' slayers B, how can you stand it? Taking orders from somebody."

Buffy smirks at Faith's question as she pops open the lid to the food her and Faith had prepared. Faith's expression had been amusing when she realized the food wasn't to be eaten right then and there, the young girl seemed to have a bottomless pit for a stomach. It would be good to reign Faith in a little bit. "Better get use to it Faith. Mom's gonna expect it from you for the two weeks you're gonna be staying with us." Buffy tells Faith trying desperately not to laugh at her deer in the headlights expression.

"Why the hell would your mom care what I do?" She asks Buffy numbly, nobody had ever cared about what she had done before. Not even her watcher, as long as she was training and slaying the older woman didn't really pay attention to Faith's comings and goings. She was pretty much given a free ride, going wherever she felt like, doing anything or anyone she wanted.

"First thing," Buffy remarks grateful she had managed to get here early. It was giving her another chance to talk alone to Faith one on one. "Sit down," Buffy says grabbing hold of Faith's hand and pulling her down. "Relax for a little while, learn to enjoy the quite times... Trust me they don't last here in Sunnydale."

"Okay," Faith agrees settling down just off the blanket. "I can do relax," she mumbles softly as she bounces her foot softly tapping her hands on her knees.

Buffy smiles seeing Faith's relaxed state, "next thing is that mom's gonna feel responsible for you as long as you're at the house, it wouldn't matter if you were twenty... Instead of fifteen," Buffy finishes casually.

Faith freezes, coming to a complete stop for the first time that Buffy can remember. "How do?"

"I know your age?" She finishes the question, "let me see. I was fifteen, Kendra was fifteen. Most slayers are fifteen when their called. If you want to pretend you're older that's your business... I'm not going to say anything. Mom knows, asked me about it... And I wasn't going to lie to her. Said she was going to try and curb her motherly instincts around you, but... Giles probably knows, what with him being a watcher and all."

"You're not going to rat me out?" Faith asks nervously.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know why you have this need to make yourself out to be older then... But it's not my place to tell anybody," she says with a shrug. "Someday I hope you trust the gang enough to tell them... But again, it's your choice."

Xander smirks casually, "Ahh, Buffy and food." He remarks spotting the tiny blonde slayer.

"Maybe we shouldn't be too couple-y around Buffy," Willow mutters nervously.

"Oh, you mean 'cause of how the only guy that ever liked her turned into a vicious killer and had to be put down like a dog?" Cordelia asks the group in general, not that she expected an answer.

Xander admires his girlfriends normal lack of tack, "can she cram complex issues into a nutshell, or what?" He jokes lightly.

They come up around the tree just out of Buffy's view. "All right, prepare to uncouple," Oz begins as they take another step.

"Hey look Buffy brought a friend!" Willow exclaims excitedly as the groups sees Buffy's animated conversation with Faith.

"A very attractive, eye pleasing kind of friend." Xander comments lustily. Cordelia viscously pinches his arm, "Ow," he whines.

"You do of course realize every time you open you're mouth words come out which normally compel me to hurt you later for them?" She questions seriously.

"She's just joking," he informs the rest of them before looking at Cordelia. "Oh, god she's not joking," he whines.

"Don't they just look all cozy," Willow remarks feeling dejected. "Why didn't Buffy tell us she made a friend?" She wonders out loud surprised at the hurt in her voice.

Xander shrugs he would be happy to see Buffy happy, "maybe it's one of those sudden revelation things."

"This could be her way of getting over the whole Angel debacle," Cordelia replies. "Going for something completely opposite of tall, dark, homicidal, and dead," she points out cheerfully.

"Of course it just might be we haven't been Buffy's bestest buds since she got back," Oz comments dryly. Everybody had done their best to forget the argument that had erupted at Buffy's welcome home party. Unlike the zombies that had crashed the party moments later the issues that had fueled the original fight weren't just going to vanish into thin air because a magic mask was destroyed.

"Buffy," Xander greets her cheerily. "banned from campus, but not from our hearts, how are you and what's for lunch?" He asks sitting down next to Faith with Cordelia on his opposite side.

Oz climbs onto the bench sitting on the backrest, while Willow kneels down on the ground just to the side of the bench. Buffy smiles slightly, "oh, we just threw a few things together." She informs the group.

"When did you become Martha Stewart?" Cordelia asks impressed by the offering of food the two girls had prepared.

Buffy passes out drink bottles, "first of all, Martha Stewart knows jack about hand-cut prosciutto." She replies sounding slightly insulted by Cordelia's comment.

Xander quirks a smile, "I don't believe she slays, either."

Oz smiles slightly, "oh, I hear she can, but she doesn't like to." Both of them look at Faith who's sitting on the edge of the blanket watching the group interact. Suddenly they realize what they had just said.

Buffy smirks at their guilty expressions, "guys this here is Faith the vampire slayer. Faith this here is the gang. Willow Rosenburg."

"Red," Faith says with a grin.

"Oz," the young guitarist remarks saving Buffy the trouble.

"Like it," Faith comments.

"Cordelia Chase," Buffy continues. "The uncrowned Queen of Sunnydale high."

"CC," Faith responds shaking the taller girls hand.

"And finally Xander Harris," Buffy finishes introducing everyone.

"I see what you mean B," Faith replies. "X here doesn't even need to hear any naked stories and I already feel like I've showered."

"Naked," Xander utters the word quietly, almost reverently.

"Play nice Faith," Buffy remarks dryly.

"Vampire slayer," Willow breathes out like she's never heard the words before.

"That would explain Xander's instant drool level," Cordelia remarks causing Faith to chuckle. "So how's that working out for you?"

Faith had covered her shocked expression quickly. Her watcher had always told her she had to keep the fact that she was a slayer secret, which wasn't that hard for Faith considering she didn't actually have any friends. "Um... Pretty good," she hesitates slightly having been caught off guard. "Never get enough slaying," she smirks feeling a bit of her bravado coming back. "Kinda weird how a good night of slaying just always makes you hungry and horny," she remarks playfully as she digs into a plate of food she's set up for herself.

Everybody in the group turns to Buffy who stares back wide eyed, "Well... Sometimes I, I crave a nonfat yogurt afterwards," she tells them before shaking her head. She started to get the feeling having Faith around was going to keep her on her toes. "Second of all," she starts off trying to get the conversation back on track. "Way too much free time on my hands since I got kicked out of school," she finishes taking a drink from her water bottle.

"Oh, I know they'll let you back in," Willow replies taking a drink from her water bottle.

"Don't you and your mom have a meeting with Principal Snyder?" Xander questions her.

Buffy nods her head, "we're seeing Snyde-Man tomorrow." She responds to Xander's inquiry not sounding thrilled with the prospect.

"Ooo," Willow exclaims as she spots a boy. "Scott Hope at eleven o'clock," she tells Buffy causing her to look over. "He likes you. He wanted to ask you out last year, but you weren't ready then. But I think you're ready now, or at least in the state of pre-readiness to make conversation, or, or to do that thing with your mouth that boys like."

Buffy's head snaps back around she couldn't believe the words that had just come out of Willow's mouth. Willow suddenly looks disgusted as she hears the word that she's just said. "Oh! I didn't mean the bad thing with your mouth, I meant that little half-smile thing that you." She glares at Oz, "you're supposed to stop me when I do that."

Faith smiles broadly, "there's only one thing a girl does with her mouth that boys like Red," Faith comments saucily.

Willow looks at Faith shocked by the other slayers comment. Cordelia shakes her head, "might I say eww."

Oz smiles as he shakes his head at her, "I like when you do that," he comments taking Willow's mind of Faith for the moment.

"Hi Buffy," Scott says smiling as he walks by the small group.

"Hi," Buffy replies shyly with a little smile as Scott continues on his way.

Willow breaks out in a big grin, "I think that went very well. Don't you think that went very well?"

"He didn't try to slit our throats or anything," Cordelia says with a nod. "That's progress."

"Hey, did you do that little half-smile thing?" Willow questions Buffy.

Buffy sighs dramatically, "look, I'm not trying to snare Scott Hope."

"Why not B?" Faith remarks, "the guys a little hottie. You should go for it while you're still young enough to enjoy it."

Buffy smiles as she shakes her head at Faith's comment. Having her around was definitely going to force to stay on her toes. "I just want to get my life back, you know, do normal stuff."

"Like date?" Willow pushes.

"Well," Buffy begins smiling slight curve to her lips.

"I get it," Cordelia states as a sudden revelation comes to her as she smiles. Faith gives Cordelia a confused look, "not the horny thing. Yuck! But the two Slayer thing. There was one, and then Buffy died for, like, two minutes, so then Kendra was called, and then when she died, Faith was called."

"Oh, you wanna date. I saw that half-smile, you little slut." Xander says with a slight chuckle. Buffy leans slightly and punches Xander in the arm lightly. Xander smiles as he continues to chuckles, "ow," he whines with a slight wince and begins rubbing his arm.

"All right," Buffy admits. "Yes, date and shop and hang out and go to school and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know, I wanna do girlie stuff!"

Oz looks over at Faith as a thought suddenly occurs to him, "Uh, now, you both kill vamps, and who could blame you, but, I'm, I'm wondering about your position on werewolves."

Willow places her hand on Oz's knee, "Oz is a werewolf," she tells Faith.

Faith looks at them for a moment wondering if anything in this town was normal, "hey, as long as you don't go scratchin' at me or humpin' my leg, we're five-by-five, you know?"

Oz looks relieved, "fair enough."

Faith smiles ruthlessly, "The vamps, though, they better get their asses to defcon one." She points over to Buffy, "'cause you and I B, we are gonna have fun, you know."

"And over here," Willow remarks pointing to a set of doors, "we have the cafeteria where we were mauled by snakes." Her and Xander are giving Faith a tour of the school and a run down of their exploits.

Xander points down to the floor, "and this is the spot where Angel tried to kill Willow."

Willow quickly points to the lounge wanting to avoid the entire Angel subject for as long as possible. She smiles broadly as she exclaims, "oh! And over there in the lounge is where Spike and his gang nearly massacred us all on Parent-Teacher night." As they reach the stairs Willow points up to the landing, "oh, a-and up those stairs, I was sucked into a muddy grave."

They stop walking, "and they say young people don't learn anything in high school nowadays," Xander comments. "But, um, I've learned to be afraid," he finishes with a wide smile.

Faith returns their smiles finding the tour a little overwhelming. She was use to dealing with vamps, the occasional demon even but a lot of what these guys were talking about was almost to fantastical to be believable. She laughs slightly, "you guys are a hoot and a half. If I'd had friends like you in high school, I... Probably still would've dropped out. But I might've been sad about it, you know?"

Both Xander and Willow nod in agreement to Faith's statement as the dark hair slayer crosses her arms. Faith needed to find out what was wrong with Buffy, "hey, so what's up with B? I mean, she seems wound kinda tight. Needs to find the fun a little? Like you two." She turns a little so she could watch Buffy's two friends, "you guys have known B awhile now? Right?" She questions them becoming serious, "has she always been... I don't know, moody? Not knowing if she's up or down."

"Angel," Xander answers her. The anger was still strong in his voice even after the summer.

"Isn't he the one you said tried to kill Willow?" Faith asks them feeling confused.

"It's a long, complicated story," Willow replies hoping Xander wouldn't start in on his normal everything wrong in the world was Angel's fault.

Xander shrugs, "vamp cursed with a soul." Xander starts off, "Buffy gave him a big old happy, soul went bye, bye. He reverts back to form... Goes on big old killing spree, targeting Buffy's nearest and dearest. All the while the Buffster takes months before she finally does what she should've once he went back to his killing ways." Xander finishes off angrily. He glares at Willow for a minute before taking off down the corridor.

Willow watches Xander sadly for a moment before returning her attention to Faith, "Xander's right." She admits, "but there's a lot of stuff he doesn't know... He couldn't know. Things even I don't understand, but." She stops to take a deep breath of air, "she loved him. Totally, completely loved him... Loves probably if she's still acting the way you describe her. How do you get over having to kill someone you love that much?"

"How'd it go?" Buffy asks Faith as she stands from the bench she been sitting on while she waited for Faith to tour the school and meet Giles.

"You know if I had known watchers came that young and cute I would've requested a transfer awhile ago," Faith replies lightly as she falls into step alongside Buffy.

Buffy thinks for a moment tilting her head slightly, "granted he's better then Merrick, but eww!" She exclaims softly scrunching her face up lightly.

"Another ex?" Faith asks lightly.

Buffy looks at Faith confusedly, "hugh?" Shakes her head, "no," she takes a deep breath. "First watcher."

"Oh," Faith breathes softly. "He transfer out on you or something?" She asks after a moment.

Buffy glances at Faith from the corner of her eyes, "he died. Back in L A... Threw himself on this vamp that was about to kill me. He... I dusted the vamp later," she beams as she looks over at Faith. "Burnt down the school gym with him and a bunch of his minions inside."

Faith looks ahead wonderingly, "so then the council transferred you out here?" She asks the older slayer.

Buffy grunts out a short little laugh, "hardly. This was just the only school relatively close to L A that would take a delinquent like me. What with all the fighting... The skipping of classes... The burning down of the aforementioned gym. I'd quite being the slayer, wasn't going to do it anymore. It was costing me everything I had, my friends abandoned me, my folks broke up... I was turning into a freak. The thing everybody pointed at and talked about behind my back, all the while smiling to my face."

Faith shrugs feeling oddly compel to let Buffy see a little of herself, "before being called. New slayer and all that, I was pretty much alone all the time. Being a slayer has pretty much given me everything... Given my otherwise meaningless life a purpose."

Buffy drapes her arm around the younger girl. She could almost feel how much it had cost Faith just to get those few words out. "We're pretty pathetic for a couple of hot young slayers," she jokes lightly.

"So what are we gonna do about it?" Faith smiles back.

"I was kind of thinking we should train, then nap, hang at the bronze for awhile, and then go out patrolling." Buffy replies with a broad grin at the younger slayer.

"About the bronze thing, now I don't want you to be mad... But I kinda told Scott you were going to be there... Around eightish," Faith reluctantly informs Buffy.

"It's so great that you're a school girl again," Willow enthuses as her and Buffy enter the school library.

Buffy nods in agreement barely listening to Willow. She needed to find out more about Faith. The girl had started losing it the night before on patrol becoming so focused on one vampire, beating it to a pulp, it had almost gotten both of them killed. "Giles say what he wanted? Do you think he's mad?" She asks as they stop at the counter.

Nobody is in the room, bowls and jars of various dried herbs line the top of the counter. "No, I don't think so. I think he just needed to see you," she answers glancing around the room. "Have you ever noticed, though, when he is mad, but he's too English to say anything, he makes that weird cluck, cluck sound with his tongue?"

Giles rises up from behind the counter looking over the counter and what he has laid out on it. Buffy lifts her eyelids while she smiles at Willow, "hi, Giles!" She exclaims cheerfully.

Willow turns looking worried, "Oh, hi! Been there long?"

Giles ignores Willow for the moment, "Buffy, good timing." He looks around behind the counter, "I could use your help. I trust you remember the demon Acathla?" He asks her moving a few things.

"Giles, contain yourself," Buffy jokes lightly. "Yes, I'm back in school, but you know how it embarrasses me when you gush so." Giles looks up slightly annoyed, "Let's just skip all that and get straight to work."

Giles straightens looking a bit disconcerted, "Oh, ahhhh... Well, I, um... Well-w... O- o-of course, it's wonderful to have you back, i-i-it goes without saying." Buffy raises her eyebrows at him quirking one of her little smiles, "but." He begins as he notices her look, "you enjoy making me say it, don't you?" He questions amusedly. He sets his glasses back on his nose and continues looking around.

Buffy plays with one of the bowls on the counter, "okay, Acathla, huh? What are you doing, making him some demon pizza?" She jokes picking up a bundle of sage. She sniffs it gingerly and frowns. She holds over for Willow who takes a whiff smiling at the aroma.

"We need to make sure that he remains dormant and that the dimensional vortex is sealed tight. So I'm working on a binding spell," he explains patiently.

"Oh, a spell? Can I help?" Willow asks perking up considerably at the prospect of learning more about magic.

Giles looks slightly concerned at Willow's suggestion. He really didn't trust the pesky redhead when it came to harnessing magic. She was far too head strong and reckless when it came to controlling supernatural energies. She was far more likely to go off any way she wanted at any given time. "Possibly, with the research. It's very sensitive and."

"Oh! Who's more sensitive than me?" Willow asks with a slight frown sounding very much like a petulant child.

"And difficult spell," he continues through Willow's interruption. "It involves creating a... A... A protective circle around... Well, I don't want to bore you with the details, but, uh, well, there's a litany th... That one has to recite in Aramaic, and it's very specific. So I need to get a few details about your experience of defeating Acathla and Angel." He explains to them as he begins hunting for more ingredients.

"Fire away," Buffy says after a moments pause.

Giles looks over, "I've put the time at about, um," He checks a series of notes, "six seventeen, around... About half an hour after Xander rescued me," he finishes as he walks back to the counter.

"Less," Buffy responds. "More like ten minutes."

Giles makes a correction on his paper, "oh, was the vortex already open?"

Buffy nods slightly, "barely."

Giles makes a few more notes, "and Angel?" He inquires caustically.

"A big fight, Angel got the pointy end of the sword, Acathla sucked him into Hell instead of the world. That's about the it," she finishes flippantly as Giles continues to scribble down notes.

"Yes, well, that, um... Should be very helpful," Giles mumbles looking up.

Buffy looks at Giles, "is that about it?"

"It should do," he responds.

"Good, 'cause I got something a bit more of the here and now we need to talk about." Buffy says moving towards his office, "sorry Will." She adds when she sees Willow getting ready to follow, "strictly slayer stuff."

Buffy was hesitant to follow Giles into his office despite being the one who insisted on a meeting. She wondered how she was going to tell Giles that Faith wasn't playing with anything closely resembling a full deck. Giles closes the door as Buffy moves past him into his office, "I presume this has something to with Faith? Something you don't wish the others to know about yet."

"The girl's whacked Giles," she replies as she flops into the chair. Glancing up at Giles she sees his blank expression, "a little light in the loafers. A couple eggs got scrambled. Not in possession of all her marbles. Pick a metaphor and apply here," she finishes with a vague pointing gesture.

Giles walks around his desk slowly as Buffy spoke trying to process his young slayer's words. "What exactly are you talking about?" He inquires as he nears his chair.

Buffy sighs dramatically, "last night we're out patrolling. She's got a mouth on her and an opinion about everything," seeing Giles look she decides it might be best to continue her report. "We got jumped by these vamps. No big right?"

Giles looks as if he would want to be just about anywhere else at the moment, "wrong?"

"Right," Buffy agrees quickly. "Faith picks this one vamp and just starts beating on him like there was nothing else going on in the world. In the meantime I'm nearly turned into vamp chowder." She shakes her head slightly still dismayed by the experience, "I've never seen anything like it Giles. Faith was so caught up in that one vamp, like he had done something personally to her. She was so caught up in it she wasn't aware of anything else."

"Perhaps she's just one of those plunky fighters… Gets caught up," he trails off as Buffy gives him an indiscernible look. Breathing deeply he replies, "I'll contact the retreat. Talk to her watcher. See if she can shed some light on Faith's state of mind."

Buffy nods her head as she stands back up. Looking out through the blinds she watches her best friend for a moment. "Then you might want to do something about reigning Willow in."

"What was that?" The librarian asks looking up from his rolodex.

Turning back to face Giles, "Willow. Magic. Reign in." She says emphasizing each word. "She told me some of the things she did over the summer. Most of it didn't work, but some did. Just not how they were suppose to."

Giles frowns, "simple enough. I'll tell her to stop what she is doing immediately," he states firmly.

"And that's gonna work 'cause?" Buffy asks him in disbelieve. The man had been working side by side with them for almost two years and he still thought teenagers just did what they were told. "Would you? When you were our age if some stodgy old man came along and told you not to do something, what would you do?"

"What would you suggest then?" He asks a slight scowl marring his features.

"Well," Buffy begins with a look of deep speculation on her face. "We could always do what you suggest, which we both know that Willow would just go behind your back. She'd either try to learn it on her own or she'd hook up with someone like Amy." Looking up at Giles she gives him her best little girl face, "or you know. You could take her under your wing. Show her how magic is suppose to be used." Giles scowl becomes a full blown glare. "What would you rather have, her learning magic from Amy? On her own maybe? We both know what can happen that way."

They match stares for a moment before Giles finally exhales, "fine. I'll do what I can. No promises though," he adds after a moments hesitation.

"Thank you," Buffy replies giving Giles a quick hug. "Don't worry Willows a much better student then I am. She'll actually show up on time," her face falls suddenly as looks at her watch. "My English exam! I'm gonna be so late," she exclaims. Turning quickly she nearly rips the door off it's hinges as she pulls it open. "Later Wills!" She shouts running past the startled redhead.

Giles follows Buffy out of his office at a more sedate pace. Willow picks up another herb, "myronate root," she sighs inhaling slightly. "This mixed with a smidge of a virgin's blood," she begins before looking up at Giles normally kind face. Right now there is nothing kind about the stare he directs at the girl before him, "does something I know absolutely nothing about."

"What have you been doing?" He probes allowing a hint of disappointment to color his voice.

"Nothing," she sputters indignantly. "I mean I did the soul restoration. Which was a big bust," she adds unable to hide her disappointment. "If the spell had worked then Buffy wouldn't have had to kill Angel," she continues. She had been hoping the spell would work. She had tried and she had failed. She needed to get better so the next time she wouldn't fail. "And there was this power that I felt go through me. It was… I don't know what, but it made me feel alive."

"It can be a very dangerous experience. Channeling the kind of power you did. A few people, especially novices such as yourself, don't survive the experience. Those that do sometimes find themselves craving more of the same. Much like a junkie craving a fix I'd imagine," he informs her seriously.

"I was careful, really, really careful." She replies in a small voice.

"They're not only dangerous to yourself," he continues ignoring her comment. "But to those around you as well. The fact that you survived unharmed leads me to believe you'll continue experimenting with magic. Buffy has confirmed my fear and I happen to agree with her assessment. If I tell you to stop more then likely you'll ignore me and continue on your own or worse yet fall in with a group of morally ambiguous practitioners."

"Or," Willow breathes out hopefully.

"Or as Buffy suggest I could begin instructing you."

Willow's eyes brighten at the thought of Giles teaching her. "You mean that. You'd teach me how to do spells, conjurings and summonings… And, and transmutations, divination?"

Giles shakes his head slightly a small smile creeping across his face, "I'm not talking about teaching you as one of your teachers. Go to class, do assignments, homework and the like. I'm talking about an apprenticeship. You'll be here almost twenty-four hours a day. You'll run errands, research, train, study, and do whatever I deem necessary."

Willow frowns at Giles, "how's that any different from what I do now?" Her voice sounds dubious as she asks the questions.

Giles smirks as he replies lightly, "as an apprentice you'd actually have to listen to what I say."

"Oh."

________________________________________________________________________

All You Wanted - Michelle Branch

I wanted to be like you  
I wanted everything  
So I tried to be like you  
And I got swept away  
  
I didn't know that it was so cold  
And you needed someone  
to show you the way  
So I took your hand and we figured out  
That when the tide comes  
I'd take you away  
  
If you want to  
I can save you  
I can take you away from here  
So lonley inside  
So busy out there  
And all you wanted  
was somebody who cares  
  
I'm sinking slowly  
So hurry hold me  
Your hand is all I have to keep me  
hanging on  
Please can you tell me  
So I can finally see  
Where you go when you're gone  
  
If you want to  
I can save you  
I can take you away from here  
So lonley inside  
So busy out there  
And all you wanted  
was somebody who cares  
  
All you wanted was somebody who cares  
If you need me you know I'll be there  
Oh, yeah  
  
If you want to  
I can save you  
I can take you away from here  
So lonley inside  
So busy out there  
And all you wanted  
was somebody who cares  
  
Please can you tell me  
So I can finally see  
Where you go when you're gone


	3. Chap 3: Foolish Games

__

Chapter Three: Foolish Games

Buffy was waiting patiently across the hall from the class Scott is currently attending. She was surprised that she had such a good time the night before. Of course she had her raven-hair counterpart to thank for that. Faith had flat out refused to let her sit around brooding. By ten o'clock Buffy felt like she had laughed more in the few hours of dancing and hanging out with her friends then she had since turning seventeen. Not worrying about her vampire lover showing up to kill everyone she was with probably had a lot to with the amount of fun she had.

Then Faith had to go and open her mouth during patrol. Trying to get her to talk about Angel. As if Faith had any idea what she was going through. Like Faith would know what it was like to love, to trust some so completely only to have them turn on you. To betray you on every conceivable level.

"Hey you," Scott says startling the blond slayer as he steps up next to her. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts she hadn't even heard the bell ring.

Buffy smiles softly at Scott. "Hey," she replies pleasantly after a moment.

Scott returns her smile, "I had a really good time last night."

"So did I."

Scott's grin widens to a slight smile with her words. "Good enough to do it again? Tonight?" He inquires hopefully.

Buffy delights inwardly at the note of desperation in his voice. "Same time? Same Place?" She asks lightly grazing her fingers over his left arm. She was hoping to keep their meetings in a group setting for the time being. She liked him enough but she wasn't really up to being alone with him for long periods of time.

"That'd be good," he answers excitedly. He leans forward gently kissing her soft lips.

At the end of the hall she spots Giles patiently waiting for her. _Patiently_, she muses to herself, _might be too strong of a word_. He was British so nearly everything he did seemed to be done patiently. She eases back slowly ending the chaste kiss, "that would be really, really good," she responds demurely. Before he can answer she turns away striding down the hall a small spring in her step as she faintly whistles some cheerful song.

"You seem to be in a rather good spirits. Considering our earlier conversation," he comments dryly as she gets close enough so he wouldn't be overheard by anyone listening to them.

"What can I say? I aced my English make up. Scott likes me, likes me. We're having another clandestine rendezvous at The Bronze tonight." Glancing at Giles she continues in her cheerful little girl voice, "you're about to pass along some insightful piece of information on wacky girl's mental instability handed down from her watcher. What don't I have to be happy about?"

"Quite a lot actually," Giles replies with a heavy voice.

" Didn't have anything encouraging to say?"

He takes a deep breath, "she didn't have anything to say. Hasn't for some time now. She was found murdered some time ago."

Buffy didn't even realize she was heading home until she had pushed open the front door of her house. The only thought on her mind was that Faith had lied to her. For some reason it hurt almost as much as when she realized Xander had lied to her before her last fight with Angelus. At least with Xander she could fool herself into believing he was doing what he thought was best for her at the time. She knew it wasn't the case but as long as nobody said anything about it she wouldn't have to deal with it.

Faith on the other hand was a slayer. She was possibly the closest Buffy was ever going to get to having a sister, and she felt the raven-hair girl should have trusted her enough to tell her what had happened. _Then again_, Buffy thought, _you haven't been all that big with sharing things either_. _That's different_, she snarls at herself. The only reason she could think of as to why Faith hadn't told her about her watcher was that she had killed her.

She quickly scans the living room even though she already knows Faith has moved herself upstairs, to her bedroom, to sleep the rest of the day away. She bounds silently up the stairs taking them three at a time. She slows as she nears her door, her sensitive ears pick up the sound of soft whimpering cries, almost pleas for mercy coming from beyond the door.

Timidly, almost fearfully, she pushes open the door to her room. Her eyes adjust rapidly to the pale light streaming in through the blinds. Buffy's eyes widen as they graze over Faith's tanned, toned, supple, yet firm, completely nude and totally uncovered body. The blankets having been thrown aside while the young brunette tossed and turned during her fitful slumber.

Faith's face scrunches up, a look of terror settling onto her features. "No," she whimpers softly turning away from Buffy. She curls herself protectively into a little ball. Her knees pulling up to her chest as her arms wrap themselves over her head. "Please. Don't." She whines out slowly like nails being scratched slowly over a chalkboard. The sound causes Buffy to cringe internally.

She steps forward intent on covering Faith before waking her. As she draws closer she slows her progress while her eyes travel the length and breadth of the younger girls back. There were tiny scars criss-crossing her entire back. Intermixed with the slashing scars were dark circular marks.

Buffy frowns at the sight knowing whatever caused those marks had to have come from before she had been called as a slayer. The only wound she had that scared instead of healing was the bite on her neck from the master. Everything else faded within a couple days at most. The marks on Faiths back were so old and faded she didn't know if anybody besides her would even be able to see them

Buffy quickly pulls the blanket as well as the thick quilt up over Faith covering her. "Leave… Alone. Don't. Please, god don't… Stop," Faith groans and growls as she begins thrashing on the bed. Buffy doesn't know exactly what Faith is dreaming about. She has an idea as to what the nightmare is about and she can feel her anger rising at the person who could do such a thing to a young child.

Sitting on the edge of the bed she firmly grabs Faith by the shoulders and shakes the younger girl. Faith's eyes snap open instantly, a mixture of fear and confusion pass through them rapidly. Frantically she searches the unknown room looking for anything familiar. Her eyes lock on Buffy, her golden sister, and for the first time she can remember she feels safe. Completely safe where nothing is ever going to be able to hurt her ever again.

Unconcerned by her nudity she launches herself at Buffy. She latches onto the older girl as if she is the only real thing left in the entire universe. She buries her face in the crook of Buffy's neck while her arms wrap around the tiny slayer squeezing her as hard as she can. She sobs uncontrollably, mumbling unintelligible words to softly to actually be heard.

At first Buffy is thrown by Faith's sudden action. She quickly realizes it's not the attack she had been half expecting. She slides her arms around the younger girl knowing Faith needs to feel as much physical contact as possible right now. Her right arm gently rubs large circles along her bare back, while her left hand soothingly strokes her soft, luxuriant black tresses. All the while she whispers comforting words to the distraught teenager.

Buffy has know idea how long the two of them sat on her bed simply holding each other. It might have been minutes, it could have been hours. All Buffy could offer the quivering girl at the moment was the comfort she so desperately needed. The soft flesh that was quieting under her gentle touch.

Faith shifts her head, turning into the silken flesh of Buffy's neck. Parting her lips slightly she gently presses them to Buffy's smooth skin. Planting feather light kisses along Buffy's neck she quickly finds her pulse point. Once there she nips tenderly for a moment before she begins suckling at the heated flesh.

Buffy couldn't believe what was happening. Couldn't believe Faith was kissing her. She couldn't believe she was enjoying the younger girl's touch so much. The fire that was being stoked deep within her. She knew she should stop this before things slipped even more out of control, but she had no desire to anything other then enjoy the feeling Faith was creating inside of her.

Pulling back a bare fraction of an inch she softly blows on the wetted patch of skin causing goose-bumps to pebble before she moves back in. The kisses she place the second time are firmer, more fierce as she becomes more sure of herself. Encouraged even more as Buffy's once comforting touch becomes firmer, more demanding as the blondes nails dig into her sensitive back. She trails a string of wet kisses along her neck to just below her ear where she again nibbles on Buffy's flesh.

Hearing Buffy whimper lowly she licks slowly along the bottom edge of her earlobe before blowing gently on the tender flesh. Her light fingers find the straps to the backless halter-top as she sucks Buffy's earlobe between her lips, lightly grazing the soft flesh with her teeth. Pressing Faith's body closer to her own Buffy groans at the brunette's gentle ministrations as her body arches forward.

Buffy can feel her body heat up, responding instinctively to Faith's skillful touch. She can feel it as she begins to lose herself to these feelings, the passion and desire that rage just below the surface of her skin. It's been so long since she's felt anything like this wildfire burning along her flesh. She's more then willing to give herself over to Faith as the young girl slowly, sensuously kisses her way along Buffy's jaw line. From her ear to her chin. She knows if she returns Faith's kiss, even for an instant, she'll be lost. Consumed by a flood of pent up wants, desires, and needs she's kept damned since the night Angel had lost his soul.

"Faith," Buffy barely manages to say. She had been trying to sound confident, in control but the word came out as a just audible whimper as Faith's fingertips deftly graze along Buffy's sensitive, overheated skin. They skillfully trace the gentle slope of the older girl's firm breast as her she lightly sink her teeth into Buffy's chin.

"Um," Faith responds distractedly as Buffy's hand lovingly cups the side of her face gently moving her back a fraction of an inch.

Buffy tilts her head slightly so her forehead rest lightly against Faith's. "What," she begins breathlessly but stops in order to take in a good lungfull of air. "What're you doing?" She finally manages to asks while trying to slow her frantically racing heart.

Faith lips quirk into a light grin as she stares into Buffy's emerald green eyes. "Something you'll love," she replies cockily. Leaning forward she tries to capture Buffy's invitingly lush lips. The older girl's strong hand resting against her chin halts Faith's progress keeping her from her goal.

"Why?" Buffy breathes out heavily.

Faith looks at Buffy. Her confusion clearly etched in her features as well as her eyes. She didn't understand what Buffy meant by why. This was the only thing people had ever wanted from her. It was normally the only way she had to pay for anything. On those few occasions when somebody had been kind to her it was the only way she had of saying, "thank you." She didn't know how but the words escaped her lips before she was able to stop them.

She tries to move in again. To finish what she had started. To find the release she so desperately needs. Plus it's the only way she has of showing Buffy just how much even this small respite from the constant running means to her. Then she sees something she's never seen before. The longing, the desire, all the pent up passion that had been in Buffy's eyes a moment before were gone. They simply vanished as if they had never been there. In their place Faith sees what she can only describe sadness, or maybe disappointment, or regret.

Buffy's hand gently, but forcefully tilts Faith's head down slightly as the older girl leans forward. She was having a hard time believing someone would offer up their body as a way of expressing their gratitude. "Thank you," she whispers before softly kissing Faith on her forehead.

Her mind races as she tries to understand the events that had just transpired. Was Buffy actually turning her down. Did she find her unattractive, ugly maybe. Was she doing something wrong. Wasn't she pleasing. Buffy had been responding until the very end when she had just stopped for some reason.

Suddenly she becomes aware of Buffy trembling softly as something moist, wet, and warm slides through her hair. It takes Faith a moment to realize that Buffy is crying. For whatever reason Buffy was beginning to cry, to shake uncontrollably as soft sobs rack her body.

Faith had no idea what to do. She had never been in this position before, physically comforting somebody. Giving emotional support to someone in need had never been a big when she was growing up. Her watcher was no help in that department either. She was great when it came to bandaging wounds but that was about as far as their relationship went. So Faith did the only thing she could think of doing. She clung to Buffy as hard as the older girl had a few minutes ago when their roles had been reversed and it was Buffy comforting her.

Joyce knocks softly on the door to Buffy's room wanting to give her daughter as much freedom as she possibly could. They both needed to rebuild the trust that had been broken when Joyce found out about her daughter's special calling just before Buffy had ran away. She normally wasn't home this soon after school, but Faith might still be in. The young girl had been up until the early hours of the morning watching old cartoons. Buffy had told Faith the other night that she could use her room to sleep while she was at school.

Joyce was glad the two were getting along so well with each. She had spent most of the day trying to think of a way to convince Faith to stay in Sunnydale. It would be safer for both if they were in the same town sharing the slayer duties. Going on patrol with each other and more or less just keeping the other safe.

Being as silent as possible she pushes the door checking to see if Faith is awake, and possibly seeing if she was hungry. She smiles faintly remembering just how much the raven-hair girl had put away the night before. Buffy had only eaten about half as much as the younger girl and Joyce had thought that was more then most men could eat. From what the two girls had told her it all to do with their slayer metabolisms.

She takes two quite steps into the room and stops dead in her tracks. Thought stopping nearly a fraction of a second before motion. She stares at the bed open mouth as her eyes continue to send the image in front of her to her mind. Her brain on the other hand continues in it's refusal to process the image her eyes keep sending it.

Faith was lying on her back, her left leg hung over the side of the bed, her foot resting on the floor. The only problem Joyce had with that was the fact the only thing covering the young girl nude body was her own partially clad daughter. That and the position they were lying in. Faith's left hand held Buffy's right jean covered thigh between her legs. The fingers of her left hand were nestled smugly inside the waist of Buffy's pants with her palm resting on the small of her back.

Buffy lies partially on her left side, partially on her stomach, but mostly on Faith. Her head rested just above Faith's chest with Faith's chin lying against the top of Buffy's blonde scalp. Her bare breast were pressed firmly into the top of Faith's taut abdomen. Her right arm was wrapped tightly around the younger girl's waist just above her hip. Faith's right leg was pinned hard between both of Buffy's legs.

Joyce slowly backs out of the room silently pulling the door close. As the door clicks shut she lets out the breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding. There were things that she needed to be doing. _The house needed a good cleaning_, she muses silently. _Basement to attic_,_floors hadn't been scrubbed in ages_._The walls looked like they could do with a new coat of paint, maybe put up wallpaper_._Then there are things that need to be cooked_. She stops halfway to the stairs to look back at Buffy's room. She didn't remember taking the two or three steps she had. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut she wonders aloud, "when did Buffy become a lesbian?"

________________________________________________________________________

Foolish Games - Jewel

You took your coat off, and stood in the rain  
You were always crazy like that  
And I watched from my window  
always felt I was outside looking in on you  
  
You were always the mysterious one  
with dark eyes and careless hair  
You were fashionably sensitive, but too cool to care  
You stood in my doorway, with nothing to say  
besides some comment on the weather  
  
Well in case you failed to notice  
In case you failed to see  
this is my heart bleeding before you  
this is me down on my knees  
  
These foolish games are tearing me apart  
And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart  
You're breaking my heart  
  
You were always brilliant in the morning  
Smoking your cigarettes, and talking over coffee  
Your philosophies on art, Baroque moved you  
You loved Mozart and you'd speak of your loved ones  
As I clumsily strummed my guitar  
  
You teach me of honest things  
Things that are daring things that are clean  
things that knew what an honest dollar did mean  
I hid my soiled hands behind my back  
Somewhere along the line I must have gone off-track with you  
  
Well excuse me, think I've mistakened you for somebody else  
somebody who gave a damn  
somebody more like myself  
  
These foolish games are tearing me   
Tearing me, tearing me apart  
And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart  
You're breaking my heart  
  
You took your coat off and stood in the rain  
you were always crazy like that


	4. Chap 4: Wonderwall

__

Chapter Four: Wonderwall

"Mmm," Buffy moans softly as she begins to slowly wake up. It takes her a moment to realize what, or more precisely whom was providing her with such a comfortable body pillow. She opens her eyes only mildly surprised by what she sees lying underneath her. "Well, this has the potential to be highly awkward."

"How's that B?" Faith mumbles into Buffy's golden hair, "worried it might get around… That you slept with a hot, nubile, young thing like myself?"

Buffy squirms around a little in order to prop her head up so she could look Faith in the eyes, "I was going to say thank you."

"Like my way, way better," Faith grumbles under her breath.

Buffy either doesn't hear the comment or simply decides to ignore it as she continues her statement. "Instead I'm thinking shut up Faith suits this moment so much better." She sees the younger girl about to open her mouth and quickly puts her index finger over her lips. "Quiet," she commands sternly. "If you had let me finish what I was saying before opening your big mouth you would have found out I meant if someone, my mom for example, had walked in on us lying all snuggled up together. One of us only partially dressed while the other is naked."

"She'd be freaked?"

Buffy smirks, "well. She'd probably think me being gay is better then me dating a vampire, but yeah. We're talking majorly wigged, not wigged enough to kick me out or anything. Still," she takes a deep breath before she leans forward and placing a light kiss on Faith's satin lips. "Thank you," she whispers softly as she backs away.

Faith blinks several times trying to clear her head. The kiss was soft, light, nothing sexual at all, yet everything had stopped the moment Buffy's silken lips had touched hers. "What for?" She manages to ask despite the fog still filling her head.

"For being there when I needed someone. For letting me cry on your shoulder, head," she finishes with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Just for being yourself. For not pushing or asking why."

Faith swallows nervously a second before she says, "I got one. A question that is."

Buffy's expression becomes serious. "I have several for you as well," she replies while she sits up on the bed. She glances at Faith's worried facial expression, "what? You didn't think I came home, skipping out on my last hour of school because I knew there was this hot, nubile, young girl in my bed all naked. Just waiting for me to sleep with her… Did you?"

Faith's cheeks color slightly, "um, you might want to put your top back on." She suggest while ducking her head so as not to look directly at Buffy. Scrunching back against the headboard she pulls one of the blankets up so she could cover herself.

Buffy watches in amazement that this girl who had nearly seduced her was now turning an interesting shade of pink at the moment. "Go ahead Faith. Ask away," she says patiently trying to put the girl at ease while she ties her top back up.

"Well," she says slowly not taking her eyes off Buffy's face until the older girl had gotten her top tied back on. It was a struggle, but somehow she managed to keep her eyes locked with Buffy's. "It's only one question really," she continues haltingly. She could hardly believe that she was sitting here in bed with, until a few moments ago, a partially clad Buffy and she was the one stammering like some naïve fifteen year old school girl who had never done anything other then some light groping in a dark closet. "I was just wondering why you didn't… Wanna, you know. With me?"

It was Buffy that was doing this to her. Making her feel this way. Feel things she had never felt before. Things she had never thought she could possibly feel. It was infuriating and frustrating. She was always the one in control, in charge. She was always the one to take the lead. Only now there was somebody in front of her. Someone who had taken the control away from.

"Why I didn't sleep with you?" Buffy asks, succinctly finishing the question Faith had been unable to. All the while looking the younger girl straight in her soft brown eyes.

Faith could feel her skin heating up even more. Even with the blankets covering her she felt as if she was standing in front of Buffy with absolutely nothing on. For the first time since she had run away from home nearly three years earlier she felt small, vulnerable, dirty. Like she wasn't, nor could she ever be good enough for the blonde sitting in front of her. As she sat next to Buffy she thought she could scrub herself raw from now till the end of time and never come clean.

She nods her head slightly while trying to avoid looking at Buffy's intense, burning green eyes. "Look at me Faith," Buffy commands softly forcing the younger girl to look directly into Buffy's eyes. A feeling that she could simply drown the liquid pools nearly overwhelms Faith. "I didn't sleep with you because I'm not in love with you Faith, just like you're not in love with me. Sex is suppose to be the ultimate way for two people to express their love for each other. It shouldn't be used as a way to show gratitude for something… Unless you happen to be in love with the person then, yeah okay I guess you could show your gratitude. But that's really getting off track here."

Faith suddenly wonder if she had been misreading Buffy. If what she was saying was true then that probably meant nothing had happened between her and Scott Hope the night before when they had disappeared for a short while. For some reason that thought made Faith want to jump for joy. The elation she felt was nearly the exact opposite of how she had been feeling just a few short minutes ago. As low as she had been then she was now equally high.

Then right on top of that she wonders if Buffy was in love with Scott and that was why they had disappeared. Suddenly she feels herself crashing down from the emotional high she had just been on. She plummets ever further then she had been. Absently she wonders what is going on with herself. "Then it's not because I'm ugly, or… Or I wasn't any good?"

Buffy stares at the young girl stunned into silence for a split second. "God no… Faith. Ugly? How can you even think that about yourself? You are like one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen… Strong, confident." She takes another deep breath, "and as far as not being any good… That couldn't be further from the truth either. You were doing things to me, making me feel things I haven't felt since my night with Angel. Things I didn't think I would ever feel again."

Faith looks back even more confused now then she had been a few minutes ago, "why stop it then? If you were enjoying it. Why not enjoy it? Just let it happen."

She thinks for a minute trying to find some way to say what she needed to say that wouldn't hurt the young brunette. Finally she decides to simply tell her the truth. "I like you Faith," she answers softly. "I like you lot for somebody I just meant. You got this annoying habit of pissing me off. You're quirky, funny, plus you stop me from taking myself too seriously… Which I tend to do way to often… But I'm not in love with you."

"Oh," Faith breathes out softly as a frown creases her features. "It's still Angel isn't it?" She asks suddenly as she seems to get a brief insight into Buffy's mind. "You're just using Scot," she continues softly hardly aware that she had spoken out loud.

Buffy's eyes flash angrily for a second before she drops her head. "Yeah. Kind of," she admits softly. "I mean we kissed earlier today, but it almost felt like I was kissing my brother. You know if I had a brother to compare it to."

Faith shrugs, "maybe you should just screw 'em and lose 'em. You know get it over and done with, out of your system… Then you could move on."

"Just when I think I got you figured out," Buffy mutters with a slight shake of her head. She hops up off the bed she saunters to her closet. "If I got anything you want to borrow just let me know."

"Thought you had a question for me?" Faith asks as she slide out from under the blankets and off of Buffy's bed.

"I do," Buffy answers opening her closet door. "I'd just rather hold this part of our conversation fully clothed."

Buffy comes bounding down the stairs in possibly her best mood in well over half a year, maybe even longer. Faith had told her everything that had happened to her watcher, almost everything. She hadn't given her a lot of details, just the bare facts of what the monster Kakistos had forced her to witness. As he demonstrated on her watcher what he was planning to do to her. Faith had told her how helpless she had been, how scared she was throughout the entire ordeal. Buffy thought terrified would have better described the raw emotion Faith was describing. 

Faith had told her how she had gotten lucky when Kakistos had became overconfident. He had wanted the thrill of beating Faith in single combat. He had ordered his minions not to interfere in the fight with the promise of a painful death for anybody who did. She had managed to carve out his eye and then make a break for freedom while the other vampires stood around watching. That was the only reason she had gotten away, by the time Kakistos told them to get her the young girl was already long gone.

Buffy could sense the younger girl was still holding something back. Something that made Faith uniquely Faith. She thought it had something to do with the scars on her back but she wasn't sure. The only thing Buffy felt she could do was be there for the younger girl and hopefully someday she would trust her enough to confide in her. For now though she wasn't going to push.

Right now she was just going to be happy that Faith was staying. Her first reaction after hearing Buffy's question was to simply pack up and leave as fast as possible. She claimed she could be out of Sunnydale before anybody knew she had ever been there. It had taken her awhile but Buffy had finally convinced Faith that her best option for a longer life was to kill Kakistos and her best chance to accomplish that feat was in Sunnydale with Buffy, Giles, and the rest of her friends. She couldn't remember the last time she had talked so hard or so fast trying to convince somebody of something. She wasn't even sure what it was she had said that had finally convinced Faith to stay, but she had and that was all that mattered to her.

Now all she had to was convince her mother that it would be in everybody's best interest for Faith to stay here. Maybe a legal guardianship or even adoption. She thought it would be nice to have Faith as her sister even if it was only on a piece of paper.

As she reaches the bottom of the stairs she wrinkles her extremely sensitive slayer nose. The smell of lemon scented pine sol was emanating quite strongly from the kitchen. There was also the odor of baking cookies; oatmeal, chocolate chip, peanut butter, raisin. A disturbing suspicion was forming in the back of her mind as she nears the kitchen.

"Hey mom," she calls out after silently entering the kitchen. Joyce jumps as the sound of her daughter's voice intrudes on her thoughts. She wasn't sure what she was doing only that it seemed to need doing at the moment. "What ya' doing?" Buffy asks pleasantly a light smirk playing across lips.

"Hi honey," Joyce greets Buffy just a little too cheerfully. "The place was such a mess… It just needed a good tidying up… And then I just had this urge to bake up some cookies," she remarks unable to stop herself as she gestures towards the half dozen platters filled with golden brown cookies.

"So I see," Buffy replies dryly. Her mothers mild ramble confirming her worst fears. "Were you planning on having Xander over anytime soon?"

Joyce frowns slightly as the timer goes off on the oven, "maybe I did go a little overboard." She says opening the oven door and pulling another tray full of cookies out. "Doing anyone," Buffy's eyes go wide as she stares at her mother's back. "I mean doing anything interesting tonight?"

Buffy shrugs at Joyce's back highly annoyed at her mother's assumption. "Well you know, Faith and me were gonna go by the library, let everyone know how things stand now." She smiles as her mother's entire body seems to stiffen slightly, "that reminds me. Would it be okay if Faith moved in here on like a permanent basis? Really wouldn't be that big of a deal. We could share the same bed and everything." The cookie tray falls from suddenly nerveless fingers, "you okay mom?" Buffy asks her voice dripping with false concern.

"Faith is," Joyce begins but stops. She takes a deep breath as she turns to face Buffy. "Faith is going to staying in Sunnydale then?"

Buffy lets her expression fall slightly, "it was… Giles was told earlier that Faith's watcher had passed away. I, I rushed home… I didn't think Faith should be left alone when she." She stops suddenly as she hears Faith coming down the stairs.

She smiles as she hops up rushing to greet Faith. She reaches her just as Faith hits the spot in the hall that can be clearly seen from the kitchen. "Hey B," the taller girl greets the tiny blonde.

"Hi honey," Buffy's sweltering voice replies as she grabs hold of the waistband of her tight black leather pants. Like normal they ride low on Faith's hips. Pulling the younger girl to her she firmly presses their bodies together. "Play along," Buffy whispers so softly only Faith and herself would have been able to hear the words more then a few inches away.

Faith's surprise last only an instant after Buffy's soft, delicate, cherry flavor lips descend upon hers. Instinct takes over as she responds whole heartedly to Buffy's hungry mouth. Her arms come up draping themselves leisurely over Buffy's shoulders. She opens her mouth slightly her tongue darting out savoring the feel, the taste, the very texture of Buffy's lips.

She mildly surprised as she feels Buffy's lips part allowing her access to the tiny blonde's mouth. She groans loudly as Buffy's small hands slide inside her denim jacket. Her sharp nails racking along the sensitive flesh of Faith's short ribs. Faith tangles her fingers into Buffy's golden blonde hair. Her right hand slides down Buffy's back coming to rest on her left buttocks, her strong fingers gently kneading the firm, well muscled flesh.

Joyce's eyes nearly bulge out of her skull as she watches the passionate display put on by the two girls. Her mouth hangs open as she stares in disbelieve at the scene in front of her. _Buffy's gay_, the thought burns through her mind with the speed and suddenness of heat lightening flashing out of a crystal clear night. _Buffy's being gay in my kitchen. My kitchen that I just cleaned. I'm gonna have to clean my kitchen again_. The thoughts frantically race through her mind, tumbling over each, one coming almost on top of the previous one. She snaps her jaw shut nearly biting into her tongue.

Shaking her head Joyce realizes she's slightly relieved by one simple thought, _at least it's not Angel_. She clears her throat loudly causing the two girls to jump apart startled by Joyce's presence. _They forgot about me_, the shocked thought pops into her head. _They completely forgot I was standing right here_.

Faith smiles contently as she shrugs at Joyce unapologetically. Buffy buries her head into Faith's shoulder. Joyce can just barely make out the deep crimson color rising in her daughter's cheek. Buffy's hands still rest inside Faith's jacket, while Faith's right hand continues to rub small circles along the small of Buffy's back.

"Would um… I mean… Do you girls, would you like me to fix you some dinner?" Joyce sputters as her brain desperately tries to begin working again.

Faith smirks, "it's cool Mrs. S. I think me and B will be able to scrounge up something to eat on our own," she replies self assuredly. She leans forward lightly kissing Buffy on the top of her head, "isn't that right B?"

"Um-hmm," Buffy mumbles into Faith's shoulder.

"Well," Faith sighs, "we're gonna go now. Do things, lots of… Different things," she continues with in her most sultry voice as she turns Buffy towards the door. "You have a good night Mrs. S. Well be back. Late," she calls out over her shoulder.

Joyce stares down the corridor where the two girls had just disappeared from. She had been so stunned by what she had just seen that she hadn't been able to do react at all. Her mind had simple frozen with what she was witnessing. Her daughter and her lover, she supposed she was going to have to get use to the term, had just informed her they were going to have sex. This was definitely something she was going to be putting a stop to one way or another.

Giles steps out of his office, his glasses held absently in his left hand while his thumb and forefinger of his right hand rub the bridge of his nose. He was applying nearly enough pressure to break the small bone. He truly hated dealing with Joyce. Even under normal circumstances the woman was very nearly as obstinate as her daughter. She simply lacked any of Buffy's more charming qualities.

"Now there's a face that simply screams apocalypse if I've ever seen one," Xander jokes upon seeing Giles distraught face. Rupert looks at the young man with eyes hard enough to drive nails. Xander gulps suddenly nervous, "there isn't one is there? An apocalypse?" He asks hopefully.

Giles shakes his head slightly, "no. It's not the apocalypse," he answers replacing his glasses. The group of teens collectively breath out a sigh of relief. "It might be something far more cataclysmic," he informs them dryly.

Almost on cue before any of the teens present can react the library doors burst open. The group jumps from their chairs almost like one entity before they realize it's only Buffy storming through the doors. After a catching sight of the look of rage in Buffy's eyes they all decide it might be safer to stay standing just in case they need to run quickly somewhere that was far away from her. Faith is only a fraction of a step behind the tiny blonde looking nearly as angry as the older slayer.

"I don't know what you're acting like such a bitch for, you're the one that said play along. I was only following your lead." Buffy rounds on Faith so quickly the younger girl had to stop instantly to avoid running into her. Not for the first time she was glad Buffy was kind of her friend. The thought of having to fight the older slayer was not a very appealing thought. In fact it was a down right frightening one.

The glare in Buffy's eyes is nearly enough to make Faith take a step back. "Following my lead?" She breathes out in disbelieve, "and since when did I lead you to stick your tongue down my throat?"

"You never had to open your mouth," Faith points out becoming highly annoyed by trying to follow Buffy's irrational thought process.

"Ahem," Giles sounds out clearing his throat. For the first time since entering the library both girls become aware of people other then themselves in the large room. Buffy turns a deep shade of red as she spins around to face her friends. She couldn't believe her and Faith had been arguing like that in front of them.

At the same time Faith merely crosses her arms over her chest. She stares defiantly, almost angrily at everyone in the room. Her eyes immediately lock on Xander's glazed over happily smiling face. Without even thinking about it she grabs the first thing that comes to hand, and whips it with unerring accuracy at Xander's head. The binder of the soft cover book hits squarely between his eyes.

"Oww!" Xander exclaims rubbing his forehead. He glares at Faith forgetting for a moment that she could quite literally rip him apart with her bare hands. "And might I add. Hey, what the hell was that for?!"

Faith's glowering stare at Xander was directed inward. She hadn't even known what she had grabbed when she threw. She was probably lucky they had been in a library. Then again considering the library she was in she had just gotten extremely lucky. "Keep me outta your head X," she warns him. "You wouldn't like me there," she adds under her breath.

Giles clear his throat again, slightly louder as he attempts to get everybody's attention. "If we could possibly table this discussion to a future date, perhaps we could focus our attention on matters that are a bit more critical to our present situation."

"Um," Buffy breathes out. "Before we get started on our critical situation there's something I need to tell you guys. About why I left," she stops as she looks down at the floor.

Faith had heard the full story earlier that day. She didn't understand Buffy's feelings on the matter. Buffy had done what she had to in order to save the world. Only doing so had caused her to lose a small piece of herself. Idly wondering at just how intense the blonde's feelings for Angel were. She can feel jealousy shoot through but she doesn't know if its directed at Buffy, at Angel, what they felt for each other, or because nobody had ever cared that much for her. Or if it was because she had never felt that way about anyone. Forcing the emotion back down she places her left hand the her shoulder giving the blonde gentle, reassuring squeeze.

Buffy glances over her shoulder giving her fellow slayer a grateful smile before turning her attention back to the rest of the gang. "Anyway Angelus pulled the sword. We fought, it took awhile, but I was just about to send him to hell when something… I don't know what, but something went through him. He was Angel again. He had no idea what was going on. What he had done," she remarks closing her eyes to keep the tears she feels threatening from spilling out.

Giving her head a slight shake Buffy opens her eyes. She locks her gaze with Giles eyes, "I did what I had to. Sword through the heart. Sending Angel to hell sealing Acathla behind him."

Willow jumps up rushing to Buffy before the words sink in to anybody else's brain. "I'm so sorry," she whispers softly from a few inches away afraid to hug her best friend. Now though she could understand why Buffy had been so distant since returning from Los Angeles.

"It's not your fault Will," Buffy responds with what feels like the first real smile she's been able to flash at any of her friends since she returned.

Xander scowls slightly, "Angel, Angelus," he mumbles. "Their both vamps. They both got what they deserved," he states coldly.

Cordiela smacks him in the back of his head, "you really are an insensitive jerk." Her scathing voice causes him to cringe internally.

"What?" He mutters rubbing the back of his head.

Buffy ignores Xander's comment on Angel. She had gotten quite good at ignoring Xander when it came to Angel. "Besides," she continues to Willow. "I was cryptically warned that it might happen."

"I am extremely sorry you were forced to," Giles begins but stops. He takes his glasses off, "with Acathla opening you must of course realize it was the only course of action available to you."

"I know," Buffy answers. "I'll even be okay," she shrugs, "eventually," she adds after a few seconds. "I just wanted to get that out of the way. Now on to something important for us to deal with," she tells them as she brings Faith around her so she can stand front and center before everyone.

Faith looks at the group nervously. It felt as if she was standing in front of a firing squad with the way her emotions were jumping around on her. Despite the fact that she loved being center of attention when she was at a party or hanging out with the few friends she every had she hated having everybody's focus solely on her. She felt like she did when she had been in school and she had to read her reports out loud in front of a class full of kids. Her hands would sweat, her stomach would do flips, and her mouth would become drier then a desert. Looking at the floor she says one word, "Kakistos."

Everyone watches fascinated as Giles face pales considerably. Before anybody can ask him any questions he disappears into his office. When he reemerges a few moments later he's flipping through the pages of a well worn book. "It's Greek," he announces to the gathered teenagers. "Kakistos. It means worst of the worst. It's the name of a vampire… Ah ha!" He exclaims excitedly as he finds what he was looking for in his book.

He hands the book to Oz who takes a quick look before passing it on to Xander and Cordiela. "It's the name of a vampire so old that his hands and feet have turned cloven," he states as Willow takes the book from Cordiela during the end of his announcement. She stares at the picture a moment she brings the book over to Buffy. She memorizes the picture with a quick look before turning the book over to Faith.

The younger girl barely looks at the picture before she closes the book. She's visibly shaken by the picture as she takes a deep, ragged breath trying to find her center. "That's him," she exhales softly. "That's the bastard that killed my watcher," she snarls as she feels herself physically shake with the rage she's kept pent up for so long.

Even through her denim jacket she can feel Buffy's tiny hand on the small of her back. It's light touch, but it calms her almost immediately. Raising her head she glances at the assembled group. Buffy had told her this was going to be the hardest part, maybe harder then anything she had ever done before. "I'm sorry," she says the words sounding as if someone was pulling them out through her teeth. "About lying to you's, putting your lives in danger… I just… I'm sorry," she finishes clamping her mouth shut. She felt as if she had said way too much as it was. It was bad enough Buffy had somehow managed to get under her skin. She wasn't about to let anybody else in there.

"The council has agreed with my recommendation. You'll be assigned to Sunnydale while we get this Kakistos business settled. They'll be assigning you another watcher. In the interim I am to act in that capacity," Giles informs Buffy and Faith from the confines of his office.

"Why do I need another watcher?" Faith questions clearly agitated. She was already feeling like she was being tossed aside again. "Why can't you be my watcher?"

"I am already Buffy's watcher," Giles answers. "It would hardly be fair to myself as well as Buffy or yourself for me to divide my attention between the two you."

Faith scowls at his reply, "what if I don't want a new watcher? What if I wanna go my own way?" Giles glare wipes out her scowl.

"Faith," Buffy says from her side.

"What it's not like the council cares about us," Faith demands rising from her chair. "Their gonna sit on their asses back in jolly old England. Not even gonna lift a finger while I'm over here fighting for my life," she vents as she paces the small office.

Buffy quickly stands grabbing hold of Faith's shoulders she brings Faith's mad rant to an abrupt halt. "Faith," Buffy almost shouts at the younger girl. "You're not alone. You are not going to be alone. Do you understand me?" Buffy snarls at her. "When Kakistos gets here then he's gonna find both of us more then ready for him."

"I don't," Faith starts but stops hastily. She looks everywhere but at Buffy as she tries to keep herself from breaking down again. "You didn't see what he did to her. What he was going… They held me there… Forced me," she pulls herself out of Buffy's grip. "I'd never been so scared in my life. I still don't know if I escaped or they allowed me to get away… Give me that sense of hope only to snatch it away. I made him pay for that," she growls out fiercely.

She turns back around so that she's facing them. Her face is twisted into a mask of rage, "I took his eye," she tells them proudly. The next instant her face falls, "then I ran like a scared little girl. I'm a slayer. I'm suppose to make them afraid. I'm not suppose to be the one who's scared."

"Who told you that?" Buffy prods her voice a filled with a rage she just barely masks.

Faith points at Giles, "they did. Them and that stupid hand book. "A slayer shall meet her fate bravely. Accepting whatever destiny has in store for her"." She quotes in a pour British accent, "or some load of horse crap."

Buffy gapes at Giles, "suddenly I'm glad I never read the damn thing," she mumbles to herself. "Faith, Faith look at me," she says gently cupping the young girls chin. After a moment she allows Buffy to lift her chin up. The young slayer locks eyes with her older counterpart. She could feel her fears begin to melt away as gazes into Buffy's deep emerald green eyes. "Is that what you think? That I'm not afraid?"

Faith gives Buffy a slight shrug as she nods her head. "In case you didn't notice Faith there's a night light in my room because I'm afraid of the dark. I'm terrified to go patrolling by myself. I'm afraid of people defining me by my powers. I'm scared of what would happen if I ever lost my powers, all the people I wouldn't be able to save. Not being able to protect myself. I'm afraid all the time. More so then most girls my age because I know what's out there. We know what's out there."

Faith drops back down into one of the chairs in front of Giles desk. "What do you do? How do you make it," she shrugs as she looks around, "go away?"

Buffy sits down across from her turning the chair so that it faced Faith instead of Giles. Taking Faith's hands in her own she squeezes them lightly. For anybody but Faith, vampires, and other demons the pressure would be enough to crush bones. Faith looks slightly uncomfortable with the contact but it's Buffy holding her hands. Making her feel safe so she doesn't pull away. Buffy sigh heavily as she catches Faith's dark eyes, "I don't know Faith," she admits finally. "I don't know if there is a way to make it go away. I haven't found it anyway."

Faith lets out the breath she had been, "guess it was too much to hope for," she mumbles quietly.

Giles waits a few minutes until he's sure the crisis has been averted. He had disliked leaving it to Buffy in dealing with Faith, but like normal his slayer had come through. Somehow she had managed to calm the younger girl with nothing but a few well chosen words. "Have you given any thought as to where you shall be staying now that you'll be residing full time in Sunnydale?"

"B's already offered me a spot at her house," Faith responds with just the slight hint of a smirk curling the corner of her lips.

Buffy ignore Faith's rather subtle innuendo, "like I told you, mom's gonna want you in school if you stay with us." She reminds Faith of their earlier conversation with her own evil grin remembering the brunette's vehement protest.

Faith shrugs the comment off. She wasn't about to give Buffy the satisfaction of watching her go off again. Especially when somebody was around to watch the display. "Ain't no problem B. Don't quite know what grade I'll be in, but as long as it ain't juvy high. Don't much care." 

Buffy looks slightly bemused by the fact that Faith was calmly excepting this consider what she had said earlier. She looks over at Giles, "see no prob. Faith will be staying with me. You might want to see if the council can do something about making mom her legal guardian."

Faith stares at Buffy. She's once again amazed by the tiny blonde capacity to give of herself, and of her mother without any concern. Once again she feels as if she's finally found a place she belongs. "Do you really think your mom would go for that? I mean there's a lot of stuff about me you don't know."

Buffy rolls her eyes at the younger slayer, "do you use drugs? Do you plan on starting anytime soon? Are you an insane homicidal robot? A five thousand year old Inca mummy princess? A giant praying mantis in disguise? Are you or do you plan on in the near future to suck the world into hell?"

"Where do you come up with this stuff?" Faith asks with a disbelieving smile, "and by the way. No, to all of the above."

"Good. You just past my test for rooming with Buffy Summers. Leave my mother to me," she tells Faith confidently.

"Speaking of your mother," Giles comments diplomatically.

"Let's not," Buffy replies still upset with her mother from the previous encounter.

"This is extremely serious Buffy," Giles responds matching her anger. "She rang me up a short time before your arrival. She was quite incensed. Demanding that I should do something about her daughter and her underage lover."

"I can't believe," Buffy begins indignantly. "How dare she!" She seethes feeling the heat rising in her face. This was something she had never wanted to discuss with Giles.

"Personally I couldn't care less if the two have decided to take what comfort the other is offering."

"Nothing happened G-man," Faith says breaking into his tirade.

"What?" Giles questions confused by the comment. "Joyce was positive the two of you had been intimate this afternoon."

"I was sleeping in B's room. I just happen to sleep in the buff," she smiles at her own joke. Giles' continued glare wipes her small smirk from her face, "anyway. I must've been having a nightmare or something 'cause the next thing I know B's shaking me awake and I break down, sobbing all over the place." She takes a deep breath before continuing her slightly altered version of what really happened. "So my sobbing got to Buffy. She started sobbing and pretty soon we were just sobbing everywhere and we fell asleep exhausted and then woke up later on and talked. Nothing more to it."

Giles looks at the two girls skeptically. He knows there's something their not telling him, "and where in this story did your shirt come off?" He inquires with a quirked eyebrow.

Buffy's face brightens noticeably, "what? My shirt got drenched from all the blubbering going on. 'Sides it's not like I have something she doesn't have," she defends lamely.

"And the kitchen?"

Xander stares at the office door, "wonder what their talking about?" He mumbles not even aware he had spoken out loud. It had been a few minutes since everything had quieted down inside the small room.

"Slayer stuff," Oz replies as he turns another page in one of the books on the table concerning Kakistos. "Either that or slayer stuff."

Cordiela extends her arms fully as she pushes herself as far from the book she was busily pretending to read as possible. "What I want to know is why we're researching her demon? I mean he's a vamp, right? We all know what works really well against vampires. A little sunlight, a little holy water, and a sharp piece of wood through the heart. Viola, we got ourselves a big pile of dust."

Oz's frown is accompanied by a small shake of his head, "this guys got some history to him." He turns another page in the book, "what he did in Madrid circa fifteen-sixties was rather heart wrenching." He finishes with something close to a smirk.

"And what was with the comment about Faith sticking her tongue down Buffy's throat? Was that some kind of metaphysical euphemism for something else?"

"If you can't keep the image of the slayers playing tonsil hockey out of your head," Cordiela begins threatening coldly.

The door to Giles office crashes open. It's glass window shattering on impact. An enraged Faith storms through the library without spearing a glance at the three teens gathered at the table or Willow working at the computer. Her lips move rapidly as she mutters darkly under her breath. They hear a few words about Buffy, her relationship to a donkey, what she prefers to do with goats and other large barn yard animals.

Moving quickly Buffy's at the table grabbing her bag, leather coat, and Faith's denim jacket. "What?" Xander manages to choke out before Buffy cuts him off.

"Thanks guys. Love to talk, but I gotta go find her before she runs into something," she glances at the door to Giles office. "Breakable. People, compact vehicles. Small buildings," she finishes just before she rushes out the library doors.

Cordiela looks at Giles standing in the doorway to his office, "isn't that suppose to open the other way?" She asks the British librarian. Giles glances at the young cheerleader, it's a look that has been know to give vampires pause. It simply rolls off Cordelia's unflappable exterior. "Can we go now?" She questions Giles in her more then condescending voice. "I mean it's hardly fair that we get stuck here researching while the slayers are off doing who knows what."

"Would you stop!" Buffy shouts at Faith before she can ruin another door. Tracking the raven-hair slayer was relatively simple. All Buffy had to do was follow the doors that had been pushed open the wrong way.

Faith was like the proverbial bull in the china shop. She was head down full out charge type of girl with absolutely no use for subtlety, and even less concern about using any. If she knew what it was, which at this point Buffy highly doubted.

Faith whirls on Buffy, her face a thunderstorm of rage as she glares at the tiny blond trailing her. "Why the hell would I wanna do that!?" She screams at her fellow slayer.

If Buffy hadn't been so concerned with making things right with Faith she would probably have been laughing herself silly at the moment. She didn't think the younger girl was aware of the fact that by venting and yelling at Buffy she had done exactly what she had wanted her to do in the first place. "I'm," she begins only to be cut off by a still ranting Faith.

"I can't believe I set myself up like that! Can't believe that I thought you would be any different then anybody else! Thought that wow, here's someone not out to use me, abuse me, and lose me!" She shouts at Buffy from only a few feet away. "Well guess what Buffy Summers? You ain't no better then anybody else out there. You're screwing me over just like everybody else."

"I'm sorry!" Buffy yells at her. Amazingly Faith falls silent hearing two simple words. Buffy was more then willing to let Faith unleash her temper at her. She more then deserved it for the motives behind her actions earlier today. Only the normally reticent girl didn't seem like she was going to run down anytime soon.

"Hugh?" Faith breathes out a moment later. She wasn't sure what Buffy had said, but it almost sounded like the older girl had apologized to her. _That had to be wrong though_, Faith reasons, _because people like Buffy don't apologize to people like me_.

Buffy inhales deeply, she hated apologizing, hated admitting she was wrong. "I'm sorry," she repeats her previous statement. Dropping her eyes to the ground she says, "what I did. It was inconsiderate, insensitive, and thoughtless. It was wrong of me to use you like that and I'm sorry."

Faith tosses her hands into the air more confused now then a few minutes ago. It was despicable pattern she was noticing with this day. Every time she turned around Buffy was there winding her up like a top and letting her go spinning in whatever direction she would without even being aware of what she was doing. "Stop doing this to me!" She snarls as she spins away from Buffy. Nearly yanking the door off it's hinges as she rushes out into the night.

Buffy rolls her eyes as she snatches the door before it can swing shut. "At least she opened it right," she mumbles under her breath. She had no idea what Faith meant by her statement. "Doing what?" She calls out tossing the girl her jacket.

Faith turns again snatching her jacket out of the air, "this," she hisses waving her denim coat at Buffy.

"Bringing you your jacket?" She asks in disbelieve. Her confusion was as evident in her voice as it was in her features.

"Pretending you care about me!"

"I'm not pretending anything," Buffy responds quickly.

"Well stop it!" She shouts at Buffy, "it's confusing the hell outta me… I don't know."

"Yeah, well… You're confusing the hell out of me too!" Buffy yells back causing Faith to glance up at her looking more confused by the second. "I meant to talk to you on the way over here. I never expected my mom to call Giles, and I never saw Giles going all parental on us."

"Why didn't you?" She asks feeling her anger fade slightly.

"You kissed me," Buffy answers as if that explained everything.

Faith grabs her hair and has to fight down the urge to rip her dark locks out by the roots. Her eyes go wide as she turns in a tight circle. She wanted to nothing more right now then to howl at the moon unleashing all of her pent up frustration. "You kissed me," she finally snarls lower her eyes to stare at Buffy.

Buffy walks past Faith trying to put her thoughts in order. "All right," she finally replies turning back around to find Faith had started to follow her. "I started the kiss, but it was suppose to be a quick peck… Something chaste. Then you… God didn't you hear me when I said play along?"

"I don't play B," Faith informs her. "Not like that."

"So I notice," Buffy mumbles a slight flush rising in her cheeks. "Look I was doing something stupid. Trying to get back at my mother. I shouldn't have used you to do that, at least not without talking to you first."

"What do you have to get back at Mrs. S for. She seems like a great mom. Hell of a lot better then mine anyway," she mumbles the last part to low for anyone to hear.

Buffy shakes her head, "it was stupid. I'll deal with it on my own," she says feeling more self conscious about her plan and the situation with each passing second.

Faith hesitates for a moment unsure of her feelings, "B… I can't help ya' if you don't let me," she finally responds. She might not be sure about what she was feeling but she knew she trusted Buffy. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that wasn't anything she wouldn't do in order to help the tiny blond.

Buffy only pauses for a moment before answering, "she saw us," she simply states.

Faith smirks at Buffy, "from what G said she could sketch a picture of us." She jokes in an attempt to lighten Buffy's mood.

Buffy's pointed look is enough to make Faith lose her small smile. "While we were sleeping all snuggled up cozy with each other."

"I don't snuggle," Faith informs Buffy.

Buffy simply arches an eyebrow at Faith causing her cheeks to color. "Anyway," Buffy continues, "she never bothered to ask me. She just assumed we had sex."

"And you're pissed off because she thinks you're a big old dyke now?" She asks not sure if she was more amused or angry at Buffy.

Buffy shakes her head, "Faith I liked kissing you. Liked it a lot and I could care less who knows that." She tells the brunette allowing her voice and her eyes to convey her sincerity. Faith swallows hard as Buffy's words make her feel like there is something in this world for her. At the same time she still feels unworthy to even breath the same air as the golden slayer. "It's because of you that I know I'm still not ready to move on. That I still have a lot to deal with concerning Angel."

"Then what?" Faith asks her softly.

Buffy sits down on the top step in front of the school. Faith follows suit and sits down next to her. "Even before I was called mom's never talked to me. Just assumed things, parenting through self help books. Afterwards things just got worse. I'm a delinquent, a troublemaker. If I studied harder, didn't stay out all night my grades would be better," Buffy vents softly. Taking a deep shuddering breath she looks over at Faith, "I know. It's probably nothing compared to how you grew up."

Faith shrugs and they both let the subject drop. "Didn't you ever try talking?"

"Once," Buffy replies looking of into the darkening sky without elaborating further.

The two girls sit next to each in silence for several minutes. Faith glances at Buffy out of the corner of her eye, "so you liked the kissing?" She questions the older girl semi nervously.

Buffy smiles back at Faith gently nudging the younger girl with her shoulder. "It was nice," she replies with a small smile.

"Only nice," Faith inquires as she nudges Buffy back as a smile plays across her lips as well.

________________________________________________________________________

Wonderwall - Oasis

Today is gonna be the day   
That they're gonna throw it back to you   
By now you should've somehow   
Realised what you gotta do   
I don't believe that anybody   
Feels the way I do about you now   
Backbeat the word was on the street   
That the fire in your heart is out   
I'm sure you've heard it all before   
But you never really had a doubt   
I don't believe that anybody feels   
The way I do about you now   
  
And all the roads we have to walk are winding   
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding   
There are many things that I would   
Like to say to you   
but I don't know how   
  
Because maybe   
You're gonna be the one that saves me ?   
And after all   
You're my wonderwall   
  
Today was gonna be the day?   
But they'll never throw it back to you   
By now you should've somehow   
Realised what you're not to do   
I don't believe that anybody   
Feels the way I do   
About you now   
  
And all the roads that lead you there were winding   
And all the lights that light the way are blinding   
There are many things that I would like to say to you   
I don't know how   
  
I said maybe   
You're gonna be the one that saves me ?   
And after all   
You're my wonderwall   
  
I said maybe   
You're gonna be the one that saves me ?   
And after all   
You're my wonderwall   
  
Said maybe   
You're gonna be the one that saves me   
You're gonna be the one that saves me   
You're gonna be the one that saves me 


	5. Chap 5: Reason to Live

__

Chapter Five: Reason to Live

Two young girls- one lightness and sunshine, the other darkness and shadows- walk down the street arms intertwined, fingers interlace as their share a moment of peace and quite. It was a rare moment of serenity in their otherwise fast pace, hectic lives. That the world had seemed to cut them a tiny bit of slack to simply enjoy the moment was nearly unfathomable to the pair. That was what tonight was though.

No vampires had jumped out at them from behind the crypts they had passed. No demons had burst out of the sewers as they walked by. Absolutely nothing had happened tonight. It had been positively dull, and with the emotional roller coaster ride the two slayers had been on all day they loved every single boring minute of it.

It gave the two young girls the chance to enjoy each other's company, to learn all they could about one another. Only they had spent the entire night in silence and had still learnt nearly as much as if they had spent it talking. But like with all good things an end must eventually come.

"What's he like?" Buffy begins knowing she has to, but hating the fact that she had to. She wanted a few more days with this tranquility surrounding them so she devote as much time as possible to the study of Faith. She would settle for hours, even minutes, but she knew they didn't have that much time to prepare for Kakistos. She knew they couldn't afford to let the smallest fraction of time slip away from them though.

Faith blinks, she had been expecting a question along those lines, but it had still taken her by surprise. "You saw the book," she answers still feeling very self-conscious with anything that concerned Kakistos.

Buffy nods slightly a moment before she says, "yeah. But an eight by ten glossy hardly paints a good picture, especially when it ain't so glossy."

Faith sighs dejectedly, "he's like every other vamp only worse. Likes people to feel completely helpless. Likes to control the fight, the pace, the arena."

"So he's probably going to try and set an ambush for us. Should be simple enough to turn his ambush into our trap," she says confidently.

Faith looks towards Buffy with a curious little expression flitting across her face, "how'd you figure that?"

The blonde gives her raven-hair counterpart a sweet grin as she says, "simple. We dictate where the fight takes place. Nobody knows Sunnydale like I do. It'll be a piece of cake to lead him exactly where we want him."

The two girls slow down as they near their destination. They glance at each other, "you ready for this?" Buffy asks the brunette softly.

Faith gives the tiny blonde holding her hand a decrepit smile. "Sure," she replies indifferently as she gives a slight shrug, "but I ain't got nothing to lose here," she finishes.

Buffy frowns at her comment, "of course you got something to lose."

"Not like you," she responds quickly just as they reach the front porch. "Look," she starts off as she pulls Buffy up short before the blonde can open the front door. "I'm not going to be the one that puts you on the outs with your mom..."

"Your not," Buffy informs her sternly.

Faith exhales sharply, annoyed at Buffy for cutting her off. "Just, let me finish being all noble and self sacrificing here," she gripes at the petite slayer. Casting a quick glance to the floor she adds quietly, "it's not something I get to do very often."

Buffy smiles sadly at Faith's unflattering opinion of herself. It was one of the few things that she was planning on changing about Faith. There wasn't much about raven hair girl that Buffy didn't like, but one of those things was how she saw herself. She wasn't sure how she was going to do it, but she promised herself that she was going to get Faith to see herself for the wonderful person she is. Putting her hand on Faith's shoulder, Buffy gives a gentle rub as she says, "go ahead."

Faith looks up at the soft touch, a slight grin on her lips that doesn't reach her dark eyes. "All I'm saying is I'm not going to let you ruin your relationship with your mom over me. If it comes down to it I'll leave."

"Its a good thing its not going to come down to that isn't it?" Buffy responds brightly with a fiery glint in her eyes. There was nothing on this planet that was going to get Faith out of this house. Not with her still alive anyway. "Ready now?"

Faith gives a slight nod of her head. Buffy turns, grabbing the door handle she hesitates for an instant, hoping that she was right. Hoping that her mother wasn't going to just toss Faith out of the house. A determined look crosses over her face and she pushes the door open.

Ten minutes and not a single word had passed anyone's lips. The silence was overwhelming enough to be considered oppressive. It sucked the energy from every one in the room; Buffy, Faith, Joyce. All three women felt themselves drained by the weight of the silence that hung over the room.

Everyone wanted to have their say, but no one wanted to speak first. Afraid that the other occupants around the kitchen's breakfast island would see it as either an admission that they were in the wrong, or a sign of her acceptance of something she wasn't sure she was ready to accept or not. So they stood in their silence; Joyce with her hands folded over a cup of forgotten coffee, Faith a half full can of coke at her elbow, Buffy her finger idly doodling with a water mark left on the countertop from the glass of juice she had fixed earlier.

Faith takes a short breath. She was tired of standing here and not resolving anything. She says as much with a simple, "this is stupid," statement she blurts out.

"Stupid!" Joyce snaps, "is that what you think of this..." she pause as she waves her hand between the two girls as she searches for the right word, or phrase to describe what she wants to say. Unfortunately nothing comes to her mind before she continues, "whatever this thing that's going on between you two?"

"It's called a relationship," Buffy pips in hotly.

At the same time Faith mumbles, "I wasn't talking about that."

"And even we don't know what's going on between us," Buffy finishes.

Joyce snorts disdainfully at her daughter. "I got a pretty clear picture of what was going on between you two," she replies derisively as her voice rises to match Buffy's level.

The crack of Faith's palm hitting the table brings both of them up short before they can say anything else. Sure that she's got their attention she says, "this is stupid. The two of you arguing like a pair of pre-schoolers fighting over the favorite swing at the playground." Picking up her soda she takes a sip before putting it back down, "god its pretty bad when I feel like the adult," she mumbles softly.

Buffy lets out a sigh as she looks into her mother's hard eyes. "Nothing happened," she tells the woman.

Joyce's eyes narrow as she looks at her daughter, "I saw the two of you..."

"And maybe if you had asked me, us, about it in the first place we wouldn't be sitting here arguing over nothing," Buffy spits out.

"Don't you take that tone of voice with me," Joyce orders her daughter.

"Why not? It seems like the only time you pay attention to what I have to say," the tiny blonde retorts.

"Enough!" Faith shouts stopping both of them again. "You guys need to like find separate corners, take a slow ten count, or maybe just try talking instead of tearing each other to shit," she advises the pair as she picks up her can of soda. "If you two decide to actually talk give me a holler," she tells them. Taking a few steps towards the front hall she stops. Turning her head over her shoulder she looks back at them, "or better yet. Don't," she says. A moment later she's out of the kitchen.

Joyce stares at the spot Faith had seemingly disappeared from. Her mind was still processing what the young girl had said before exiting the kitchen. She couldn't believe the brunette had just spoken to her like that. It was the first time she had seen Faith show even the slightest hint of a temper.

"She's right," Buffy sighs into the silence.

The soft sound snaps Joyce out of her daze. Turning her head back around to look upon her daughter she asks, "right about what?"

"Us," Buffy answers uncomfortably. "About how we can't talk to each other without blood being shed," she elaborates.

"We talk to each other all the time," the older woman disagrees.

Buffy gives her mother a small shake of her head as she says, "not about anything important. Nothing like this."

Joyce tries to buy a moment, to think of some time when the two of them had a serious conversation, by taking a sip of her coffee. She grimaces at the bitingly cold taste. Setting the cup back on the table she silently reminds herself not to drink any more coffee until she's had a chance to get a fresh cup. "We've always been able to talk about the important things with each other," she responds unconvincingly.

She gives her mother a tight smile. "No we don't. You ordered, assumed I was going to do what you said, and left it at that. We've never talked," she stops speaking as she pushes herself back from the table as she turns around to gaze out the window over the kitchen sink.

"Then don't just shut me out of your life Buffy," Joyce pleads. "Talk to me, tell me what's going on with your life."

Willow yawns tiredly as she pushes the library door open. It felt like she had spent the majority of yesterday in this room, that she had only just left it a few short hours ago. Then she remembers she had in fact only left the library five hours ago.

It was all part of her agreement with Giles. That if she wanted to learn magic then she would have to apprentice herself to him. This was part of the testing to see if she had the proper dedication to learn the craft. During this time she was expected to be at the library by five o'clock in the morning, every morning until Giles finally decided if he was going to teach her or not.

Getting into the school wasn't a problem since she still had her key from last year when she had taken over teaching Ms. Calendar classes after Angel had killed her. Walking over to the computer she picks up the clipboard, signs her name, date, and time before looking around the library. It was silent. Nothing moved within the room because nothing was in the room. Yawning again she wonders why Giles would want her at the library if he wasn't going to be here.

With a dejected slump to her shoulders she meanders over to the table where she slings her backpack onto its smooth, well worn surface. The sudden wind it creates causes a piece of paper taped to the door of Giles office to flutter in the breeze. Her curiosity peaked she walks over and pulls the paper off the glass.

"Latin," she mumbles slightly confused as she looks over the strange script. She thought it was Latin anyway. There was only one way to be sure. She was going to have to translate it.

"This can't be right," Willow groans a short time later. "This is like taking finals your first day of class," she complains as she looks her translated text over again.

****

Willow, if my assessment of your ability is accurate then it should have only taken you ten minutes to translate these few simple instruction, which will leave you an hour and twenty minutes to find the unabridged Theories of Semual's Convictions. Find two of his ten major points and write a detailed comparative analysis between the two. Yours truly, Giles.

"This is cruel," she groans as she slams the Latin translation guide closed. "Not to mention unusual and uncalled for."

"What's that Red?" Faith asks as the door swings close behind her.

Willow jumps as the unexpected intrusion. Whirling around she glares at brunette, but the younger girl doesn't even notice it as she hops up on the counter. "What are you doing here?" She finally decides to ask since it didn't seem like Faith was going to start a conversation with her any time soon.

She looks up, gives a slight shrug and says, "B wanted to scout out a few likely spots to set a trap for Kaki."

"So why aren't you with her?"

"Because she had to make a pit spot, freshen her nose. Do one of those things you girly girls do," she answers off handedly.

Willow was about to reply when Buffy walks in, the doors swinging in her wake. Looking at Faith as Buffy came through the double doors she didn't miss how the brunette's face light up with the blonde's presence in the room. Willow also didn't miss the smile that Buffy shined on Faith before turning her attention from the brunette to her with a slightly surprised, "hey Wills. What are you doing here..." she glances towards the clock, "... at five in the morning?" She finishes with an astonished gasp.

"Told you it was way to earlier to be getting up," Faith mumbles grumpily from the counter.

"I didn't think it was this early," Buffy retorts.

Faith scowls lightly as she demands, "what part of, B. Its not even four-thirty, didn't you understand?"

Buffy rolls her shoulders defensively, "sorry. Once you woke me up I just couldn't fall back to sleep."

"So I have to suffer for your insomnia?"

"Hey if you weren't doing what you were doing," she begins pointedly. "Then I never would have woke up in the first place. So its all your own fault," Buffy finishes with a glare in her eyes.

"Um, guys," Willow says timidly. Both girls turn to look at the red face witch in training. "If you want to argue about what goes on while your in bed maybe you should go into Giles' office and close the door because I really don't think I should be involved in this conversation."

Buffy blinks highly confused by Willow's comment, while Faith gives the redhead an amused smirk. "What are you talking about Will?" The blonde finally asks her best friend.

"You two, talking about your sex life..." Buffy's eyes go wide and her cheeks turn a shade brighter then Willow's hair, but she doesn't notice Buffy's reaction and just continues speaking. "... In front of me like I'm not even here. It's kinda of rude and insulting..."

"She was downstairs playing Nintendo," Buffy blurts out finally. "I could hear her all the way up in my room. That's what woke me up and wouldn't let me go back to sleep."

"Oh," Willow breathes out softly as her skin color, if possible, brightens by several more shades. "I just thought," she begins but trails of under Buffy's intense gaze.

"Just thought what Red?" Faith inquires playfully from the counter. "That me and B were in her room doing the down and dirty."

"No!" Willow blurts out quickly, but soon withers under both girls' stares. "We'll okay maybe, but with how you two were talking what was I suppose to think?" She demands of them.

"This is so unfair," Faith mumbles softly as her and Buffy meander down another alley. This was the tenth one tonight, two more to go and then they would start the circuit all over again. Only they would be using a different pattern so it would seem just another random sweep.

That had been Giles' piece of advice. She could still hear his officious sounding voice as he made his suggestion. "Be sure to vary your route. Make it as indiscernible as possible."

It was a simple plan that Buffy had come up with. Divide Sunnydale into small controlled sections, use an abandoned building in the center as the trap, and the two slayers as bait. Each night they would patrol a different section of town. Sooner or later Kakistos would take the bait.

Tonight had been a good night to set the trap. The entire gang was able to help. Now all they had to do was walk around like bait. That however wasn't what Faith was complaining about. "Tomorrow's Friday. How come their making my first day of school a Friday?"

"You should be thankful," Buffy counters placidly. "One day of school, two days off. Most students would kill for that kind of schedule."

Faith snorts derisively as she responds with, "yeah well. It just screws up my plans for the weekend."

The blonde looks over at her brunette counterpart with something like shock, or possibly amusement, in her face. "You don't have plans for this weekend," she murmurs in disbelieve. "Unless you count..."

"Slayer," a lone vampire hisses loudly from behind them.

They spin around as one, twirling away from each other. Facing him they both reply with, "yes."

The small, light hair creature seems to lose whatever momentum he had built up as he gazes stupidly at them. Almost appearing out of thin air, two more vampires round the corner nearly running into the first. "It's them!" The first one shouts, "it's the slayers. Get them quickly!" He exhorts his two companions shoving them ahead of him as the three rush the two girls.

A tall, slender, shaggy hair brunette vampire, wearing a cheap suite, possibly the one he was buried in rushes Buffy while his shorter, bulkier shaven head buddy tries to tackle Faith. The third vampire, the one that had originally spotted them was nowhere to be seen. Faith grabs hold the bald vampire as she sidesteps him. Swinging him around she tosses him into the brick wall of the building on her side of the alley. He bounces back, spinning around only to catch Faith's booted foot in the side of his face.

Buffy avoids the sweeping crescent kick her vampire sent at her head, then jumps over his sweep of her legs. As her feet hit the pavement his spinning hook kick slaps her across the cheek sending her spinning around. The vampire moves in only to catch Buffy's spinning backfist squarely in the side of his head, just below his ear. He stumbles back a step as the blonde's jumping snap kick to his chest causes him to stagger, almost dropping to his knees.

She moves in with a front kick. He manages to cross block. She tries to dropping double hammer fist to his shoulders. He blocks upward, his arms inside hers breaking her strike. An instant later his right fist slams into her face, once, twice, on the third strike she blocks across smashing her right forearm into his, which then lashes backwards into the side of his head. A hard left cross follows quickly smashing straight into his face.

Faith blocks a right hook from her opponent, wrapping her arm around his she jerks him up onto his toes. He tries for a weak left that she easily brushes aside before slamming her forehead into his face staggering him. Her right fist then slams into his face again and again and again as she brings him to the ground. Over and over too fast for the eye to follow as she unleashes her anger on the man underneath her.

Buffy steps forward and to the side slightly as she avoids the vampire's back kick. Pushing the leg down hard with one hand, with her other she pulls her stake and slams it into the vampire's back. Looking around for Faith she easily spots the brunette as she once again pounds a vampire into paste. "Faith!" She yells and the girl seems to come back to herself with a jerk as she looks down at the vampire under her.

"See you haven't change too much Faith," a slick looking black vampire says from the mouth of the alley behind them. "Of course its only been a few weeks. Hardly expect an old dog like you to learn any new tricks in that time."

Faith plunges a stake into the vampire's heart as she glares at the new arrival. "Trick," she growls in a low menacing voice as she rises back to her feet. "You want a piece of me?"

Trick laughs, more of a chuckle, as he shakes his head. "Violence isn't really my thing. Talking enough so you guys don't leave, now that I'm more then willing to do."

"What's so important that you don't want us taking off?" Buffy inquires even though she knows the answers.

Trick points behind them as he says, "that would be him."

Both girls look behind them at the monster gliding down the darkened alley, a motley assortment of vampires trailing around him. Buffy had seen the pictures of him, but they hardly prepared her for coming face to face with Kakistos. The blonde looks behind her to see two more vampires are standing with Trick blocking that exit. With a quick glance at Faith she fiercely whispers, "remember what we talked about. No matter what. Stay alive."

Faith gives a slight nod of her head just to show Buffy she had heard her. Together they both charge Kakistos. "Well that was kind of unexpected," Trick says from behind them. Grabbing hold of the two vampires at his side he prevents them from joining the fray. At the tall blonde's questioning look Trick shakes his head saying, "I got a bad feeling about this. Let the big guy win or lose this on his own, either way I'm done with these vendetta gigs."

The five vampires around him speed ahead to slow the slayers' charge. Their barely even noticed as the two girls brush them aside like gnats in the breeze, sending them flying this way and that, as their determination to reach their target drives them forward. Faith reaches him first, her longer legs carrying her ahead of Buffy.

She crashes into him with everything she has pushing him back a handful of steps. With a loud grunt Kakistos hurls her back just in time for Buffy's flying side kick to land square in the chest only to bounce off with almost no visible effect. Both girls were back on the offensive in a matter of moments hitting him with a barrage of attacks from seemingly everywhere at once.

With a savage back hand he sends Faith crashing to the hard pavement. It however gives Buffy the moment she needs to drive her stake into his chest. She steps back with a smirk on her lips as she waits for him to turn to dust. She stares in horror as Kakistos reaches up and pulls the stake out of his chest turning it to splinters as he squeezes his hand. "You can't stop me," he growls savagely as he slaps Buffy away from him sending her flying into the side of a building.

Picking herself Buffy sees Faith about to attack him again, "Faith go!" She shouts at the brunette, "get out of here!" She waits a bare second to make sure that Faith had taken off before she too speeds down the alley opposite Faith. Now they would see just how well her plan works.

"Get her!" Kakistos roars at his minions. Buffy had very little doubt about which her he was talking about. She sends up a silent pray that Faith had actually mesmerized the area and didn't wind up getting lost.

Faith sat on the checkout counter in Sunnydale High's library. She didn't miss how it was the same spot she had occupied this morning when her and Buffy had shown up at a little after five. Only now it felt different, or she felt different. There was no longer that weight hanging over her shoulders like there had been this morning. Kakistos was dead, dust blowing in the wind.

She had loved the look on his face when the Scoobies had popped out of their hiding places, Willow and Cordy with huge super soakers filled with holy water blasting any and ever vampire in the room. While Kakistos minions were running around like chickens with their heads chopped off Giles, Xander, and Oz had made the presence known as they launched a volley of crossbow bolts into the pandemonium eliminating half the vamps in the room.

Kakistos had known fear then. He had turned to bolt like a little rabbit that felt wolfs hot breath. Only Buffy's presence had stopped him there as she smashed a large four by four beam upside his head cracking it in half. She had tossed it aside with a muttered, "I knew I should found something bigger," and then launched herself at him like a wildcat. Never relenting, not giving him the slightest chance at recovering. Buffy had been a sight to behold then, all savage fury and fluid grace mixed together.

Faith had just about lost herself in watching the blonde as she pummeled the huge master vampire. The other two minions had been dealt with by that point and she was just beginning to realize that no matter how much Buffy beat him she wouldn't be able to dust him. That was when she had spotted the cracked four by four. It wasn't as jagged as she would have liked it, but it would do.

The relief she had felt course through when she had seen Kakistos turn to dust with the large piece of wood shoved through his chest. It was almost like she had come back to live in that moment. That for the first time in her life that she had something to live for. That now she had a reason to live.

With a look over at the table in the middle of the library she found her reason. Blonde hair, lithe frame with just the right amount of curves, a smile that light up an entire room, and eyes that saw right through her with a glance. There she was with her friends sitting with them, talking, laughing, enjoying life while she sat over here on the outside. Close enough to touch, but on the outside none the less.

She owed those people her life. They had stood by her when she had thought nobody would. Fought with her, protected her, but right now she couldn't help but hate them to the core of her being. They had what she wanted.

With a silent sigh she grabs her jacket and slips off the counter and out of the room unnoticed by anyone. Or at least she thought she went unnoticed.

Buffy glances up, ignoring Xander's recounting of how he managed to get three of the minions to everyone else's one, as she hears Faith's soft footfalls fade in the distance. Grabbing her own coat she turns to her group of friends, "hey listen. Thanks guys, for everything you did tonight. Way above and beyond, but I gotta go. Check in with you tomorrow," she says to Giles as she backs her way towards the door not giving anyone the chance to say anything. She didn't want them asking questions she didn't have the answer for, or more precisely didn't want to answer.

"So where do you think their off to," Cordelia asks as she picks up another slice of pizza.

Xander grins widely with a far away look in his eyes, "hot slayer nookie," he mutters wistfully. A resounding thwack reverberates throughout the room a moment before Xander gives a muffled cry of, "oww! What was that for?"

"I warned you about what was going to happen," Cordelia replies.

"Nothing's going on," Willow informs them hesitantly. "Well okay, something might be going on. They really weren't all that clear this morning. In fact they were kind of confusing when they were explaining everything, but what I got was they were just friends. Maybe more then friends or maybe it was friends for now with working towards more then friendship. Like I said they were confusing," she finishes in a slight huff.

"And you unconfused it how?" Cordelia inquires with only a little bite to her words.

"Hey," Buffy calls out as she catches up to Faith.

The brunette doesn't turn around even though she feels her entire mood lighten with the sound of Buffy's voice. She does however slow down so the blonde can catch up easier. "Hey," she says back as Buffy steps up along her right side.

Without thinking about it Buffy grabs hold of Faith's hand interlacing their fingers, relishing in the warmth she feels in the younger girl's grip. "So got any plans for tonight?"

Faith shrugs, "just heading back to this hot blonde's bed. Seems she's got it bad for me. Never let me out of her sight kind of deal," she says nonchalantly.

Buffy glances at Faith as she lightly questions the brunette. "Is that a problem?"

"Well you never know, she could be like this stalker. Have all sorts of wicked plans for my body," she replies enjoying the banter.

"Don't worry," Buffy begins in her most serious voice. "I'll protect you," she says leaning into the taller girl.

"You'd do that for me?"

"Always."

________________________________________________________________________

Reason to Live - Kiss

Out of love, there's nobody around, all I hear is the sound of a broken heart   
Out of time, no more waitin' for you   
Now the hurtin's through, and a new day starts   
And I feel a change in my life, I sailed into dark and endless nights   
And made it alive   
  
Everybody's got a reason to live, baby   
Everybody's got a dream and a hunger inside   
Everybody's got a reason to live, but it can't be your love   
  
Out of touch, with myself for so long, now a feelin' so strong comin' over me   
Down the line, there's a lesson I've learned   
You can love and get burned, if it has to be   
And I see a change in my life, and I'm not alone when I'm strong inside   
And I realize   
  
Everybody's got a reason to live, baby   
Everybody's got a dream and a hunger inside   
Everybody's got a reason to live, but it can't be your love   
  
And I feel a change in my life   
And I'm not alone when I'm strong inside and I realize   
  
Everybody's got a reason to live, baby   
Everybody's got a dream and a hunger inside   
Everybody's got a reason to live, but it can't be your love

Everybody's got a reason to live, baby   
Everybody's got a dream and a hunger inside   
Everybody's got a reason to live, but it can't be your love   
  
No it can't be your love, no it can't be your love   
No it can't be your love 


	6. Chap 6: Last Chance

__

Chapter Six: Last Chance

Buffy stops just inside the doorway she had walked through for the first time back in May, almost four and half months ago. Her soft footfalls were the only sound breaking the silence that permeated the inside of the building. Inside her mind she can still hear her flippant remarks from her first time stepping inside the large room.

She can replay the entire fight, watch it scene for scene, analyze it, try to come up with something different that she could have done. Only there wasn't anyway she could change what had happened then so she shoves the images away and concentrates on why she came here.

Taking a deep breath Buffy steels herself for what she has to do. The first step is the hardest like trying to push a large boulder over a small lip before it will roll downhill. After that initial gargantuan effort the boulder's own inertia will keep it rolling.

She strides across the hard stone floor with strong purposeful steps until she reaches the spot where Angel had been sucked into hell. There she stops. She doesn't know how she knows its the right spot, only that she does.

Crouching down just in front of where Angel had last stood she places the claddagh ring he had given her, what seems a lifetime ago, but is actually less then a year. The tiny blonde can't believe how much is different, how has changed, how much older she feels in such a short period of time. There is so much the tiny slayer wants to say, his forgiveness she wants to ask for.

"I'm sorry," she finally says barely able to hold back the tears that threaten to pour out. "I hope... There's so much I wish could be different. For us, but... It's over and there's nothing that can change..." She stands up as a few tears begin sliding down her cheeks. "I'm sorry Angel," she finishes with a last look at the ring.

Turning on her heel she walks out of the room showing as much pride and dignity as when she had strode in. The only difference being the tears streaming down her cheeks, the tremble in her lower lip, the shaking of her hand. She refuses to acknowledge any of it until she can get home and crawl into bed and sob like the little girl she is.

Time passes. Minutes stretch into hours and the hours drag by as the night wears on to morning. Some time during those long hours after midnight and before dawn a beam of light encircles a ring left on the floor of a mansion in Sunnydale California. From out of the light a body falls to the hard floor below. The beam vanishes leaving a shivering and sweating Angel lying on the floor curl in upon himself with only one thought running through his mind.

"Buffy."

The sun shines brightly in the clear crystal blue sky that hangs above Sunnydale California and everything is right in the world. At least as far as most residents in the town are concerned. A few however can find something to complain about even on the most beautiful days.

"It's been close to a week already and I just don't know," Buffy answers Willow's question as the two of them make their way towards the school. Most students give the two girls a wide berth as news of Buffy's homecoming party, and the unexplained disappearance of several students was still relatively fresh news at Sunnydale High. "When we're alone, which isn't often thanks to my mom, talk about a woman that can hover, everything's great. Once we get around people though she just like draws in on herself."

Willow chews her bottom lip for a moment before tentatively asking, "have you let Faith know you want more then just friendship between you's?"

Buffy's cheeks turn a healthy shade of pink as she smiles fondly, "oh. We've gotten past the more then friends part," she answers absently as they slowly climb the first set of stairs.

Unnoticed by her best friend, it was Willow's cheeks that go scarlet as she mumbles, "so didn't need to know that."

Buffy quickly turns her head to face Willow, gazing in mortification at the petite redhead. "Oh god. I so didn't mean to say that out loud," she gushes.

Willow shakes her head saying, " no. Its okay. My best friend is in an unconventional relationship. I should be able to handle this without it freaking me out," she finishes with a quick glance at Buffy. After a few seconds she asks, "you wouldn't think I'm a bad best friend if it freaks me out a little?"

"If my track record with unconventional relationships wasn't enough to freak you out I'd think you're insane," Buffy quips lightly.

"Hey!" Willow starts pulling Buffy to a stop, "that wasn't your fault," she scolds her best friend.

The tiny slayer holds her hands up in surrender recognizing Willow's tone of voice. "You're right."

"Darn tooting I am," Willow replies quickly before Buffy can add her normal scathing remark. Taking a slight breath she decides to move back to their original topic. Before she can Scott Hope walks past shooting a withering glare at Buffy.

"Guess he isn't taking the break up well," she remarks with a shrug.

"About Faith," Willow begins trying to get back on subject, "maybe you have to be the one to take charge. Have you guys gone on a date yet?"

"We go out slaying every night," Buffy replies defensively.

Willow shakes her head saying, "slaying ain't dating. Faith might be thinking that you want to keep the entire thing hush, hush. I mean you're not the most affectionate person in public. Granted you guys do the whole hand holding thing, but I don't think I've seen you two hug or kiss, or anything else like that."

"You think so?" Buffy asks with a slight glance at Willow as she pushes the front door open.

Willow nods, "we've been talking a little in the mornings. Its kinda like pulling teeth, but she's starting to open up..."

"Wait a minute!" Buffy exclaims suddenly pulling Willow up short. "Faith's been coming here in the mornings?"

Again Willow nods as she answers, "yeah. She shows up about six, study's until just before Giles shows up. Does some training and then goes and takes a shower. From the little that she says it sounds like she doesn't want your mom to be disappointed in her."

Buffy gives a little nod with a speculative look on her face. After a moment she says, "her and mom have gotten close," she gives a small shake of her head, "but she's always going on about how she couldn't care less about school."

"Well she might not care about it, but I don't think she wants to look stupid, or embarrassed in front of either one of you," Willow responds.

"Thanks Wills. I think you just gave me an idea," Buffy says with a secretive smile.

Willow frowns slightly as she inquires, "good idea or bad idea?"

Buffy gives a small little shoulder roll as she says, "won't know that until the end." Taking a quick peek at Willow she asks as casually as possible, "so how's that magic thing going?"

Willow gives a slight snort a she begins, "what magic? Giles has me coming in at five in the morning. First thing I do is translate an assignment written in a language that hasn't been used in at least a thousand years, research some obscure bit of trivia and right a thesis that he barely glances at before telling me good job and disappearing into his office," she finishes in a huff.

"I'm sure Giles has his reasons," she murmurs softly. "Guess it's just something you're gonna have to grit your teeth and muddle through."

"Yeah, you're probably right," she replies miserably causing Buffy to frown. She didn't care what Giles' reasons were she was going to have a talk with him about this. When she had asked him to teach Willow it wasn't with the purpose of breaking her spirit.

Faith hits the thick padded gloves covering Xander's hand lightly, trying to work more on her speed then power. Working quick left-right combinations that she continues to make more intricate with each pass. Xander winces on each punch but knows it could be a lot worse, that Faith could not be holding back her real strength. That if she slips, even just a little, she could pulverize his hand to a substance like fine ground powder.

He's helped Buffy in similar drills before and for the most part Faith seems to be holding back even more then her blonde counterpart. Or it could be that Buffy was just a little stronger then Faith, not that he likes thinking about women being stronger then him. He did, after all, have his male ego to think about.

Faith continues to maintain her slow even breathes as she increases her pace ever so slightly. Mixing hooks and uppercuts in with the jabs and crosses. Throwing two, three, sometimes as many as five different punches with the same hand before switching. She stays away from showing any kind of discernable pattern.

"You're dipping your right," Buffy informs her as she sets her bag down on the table.

The blonde's voice breaks Faith's concentration as she glances ever so slightly over her shoulder to peek a glance at the petite girl. Instead of her uppercut stopping just short of Xander's gut it slams into the young man's abdomen. Xander gasps as all the air in his lungs seems to evaporate in an instant as he doubles over.

"Oh, shit!" Faith gasps grabbing hold of the tall brunette before he can crumple to the floor.

Buffy laughs softly from across the room as she comments, "and you get to distracted too easily."

Faith shoots Buffy a menacing glance as she says, "breath X. Deep breathes, get the oxygen back in your lungs," she says almost carrying Xander over to the large table.

Xander tries to take a deep breath, but all he can manage are tiny little gulps as Faith slides him down into the chair. Buffy walks around the table to where the two brunettes were, as Faith turns to give the tiny blonde a piece of her mind Buffy leans up capturing her lips in a soft kiss. Whatever Faith had been about to say slips right out of her head as she taste Buffy's cherry lip gloss, along with the blonde's soft lips. Xander who had just been about to take a deep breath forgets to breathe completely as he watches the two slayers' slow, drawn out greeting. With a glaze look in his eyes the young teenager watches the girl's passionate kiss with great interest.

After a moment Buffy pulls back, slightly breathless. "Hi," she manages to say after a moment.

"Hey," Faith replies more then a little confused by Buffy's actions. "What was that for?"

"We are a couple right?" Buffy inquires shyly.

"Are we?" Faith asks suspiciously. She didn't want to be suspicious where Buffy was concerned, but it was in her nature.

Buffy closes the tiny bit of space between the two of them, not that there was a lot of space there to begin with but after her slight movement a mouse would have suffocated in moments on the oxygen between their bodies. Reaching her hand up she brushes a stray lock of hair out of the taller girls face. "I'd like us to be," she says leaving the decision up to Faith.

The brunette swallows hard. It was what she wants as well. More then anything she's ever wanted before, she wants this to happen, but could she? Should she? Was this just one more thing, that in the end that was going to cause her more pain and suffering? Squeezing her eyes shut she blocks out whatever fears, and nagging doubts that still fill her head.

Opening her eyes she sees the worry look in Buffy's overly expressive eyes. In that moment she realizes that's not a look she ever wants to see in the blonde's face again. She'd do anything in her power to take that look away right if she could. It takes her a moment before she realizes she can. Gracing the smaller girl with a wide smile she gives her a slight nod of her head as she says, "more then anything else." The brilliant smile that explodes across Buffy's face was exactly the look that Faith wants to see on the tiny blonde from now on.

"Is there gonna be more kissage anytime soon?" Xander asks from the chair he's leaning in. "Because watching that makes this seething pain in my stomach just kind of vanish," he explains with a pain expression on his face. "And being the great humanitarians that you are you'd want to ease my pain."

"Or cause more of it," Faith taunts him with an evil grin on her face.

The graveyard was unusually quite for the middle of the night. The two slayers sat atop the crypt, feet swinging back and forth in unison, left to right, right to left as they wait for Mrs. Robinson to rise. "So your mom's got this whole dinner thing she wants us at in a few nights," Faith mumbles as she tosses a tiny pebble off the headstone.

Buffy gives the brunette a small nod as she says, "yeah. You, me, the gang. Even Giles. Kind of a welcome to the family get together. Hopefully it will go better then the last party my mother threw," the blonde says humorously. Faith gives her a questioning look to which Buffy replies, "zombie crashers, evil demon mask."

"Ah," Faith breathes out in complete feign understanding as she pops another pebble off the headstone.

"Where do you want to go tomorrow?"

Faith shrugs lightly, "you're the one that asked me out. It's up to you to show me a good time."

Buffy sighs lightly saying, "I know. I just want to make sure you enjoy yourself."

Faith smirks while raising her eyebrows suggestively. "I can think of something we'd both enjoy," she says teasingly.

Again Buffy's reaction amazes her as the petite blonde's cheeks color visibly. It was a mild surprise to Faith considering some of the things the two of them had done recently. No where near all the way but still more then enough for Buffy not to blush at the slightest innuendo she made. Of course the brunette was finding the fact that she did blush at everything she said to be quite endearing.

"You do remember we have to go out patrolling afterwards right?" Buffy inquires seriously despite the light blush to her cheeks and the heat she feels rushing throughout her body.

Faith maintains her slight grin as she adds, "don't worry B. I'll make sure you're all nice and refresh by the time we have to go out and play."

A fist punches up through the hard packed dirt of the grave. Buffy glances at Faith asking in a business like manner, "you want Mrs. Robinson or should I take her out?"

Faith shakes her head as she drops from the roof of the crypt. "The only person you're gonna be taking out is me," she says over her shoulder to Buffy as she begins walking up to the grave. Buffy smiles at Faith's back, at her possessive comment, but mostly at the sway of hr backside as she saunters towards the vampire rising from her grave.

Jeff runs through the woods as fast as he can, his legs ache with every step he takes as he pushes them harder then he ever has before, his lungs burn as he tries to gasp enough oxygen to keep himself from collapsing to the ground. He could hear it, the creature chasing him, growling just behind him, driving him forward unrelentingly, always coming just a little closer. Which kept his fear pumping adrenaline into his system allowing him to stay just a handful of steps ahead of his pursuer.

He takes a quick glance over his shoulder to see if the monster was still just a few steps behind him, the barest heartbeat with his eyes off the path in front of him. Something seems to reach out snagging his leg sending him crashing to the ground. Quickly rolling onto his back he tries to push himself away, to gain some purchase, to get himself back up to his feet and continue running.

Only the beast is on him in an instant. Heavy fist beating him nearly senseless before grabbing hold of his feet and dragging him into the underbrush. Jeff screams as he struggles in vain to get away from his captor.

Pete smiles sadistically at the thought of what he was going to do the punk that had been hitting on his girl. By the time he was done Jeff would never think of hitting on anyone else's girl. He wouldn't be thinking at all.

Faith grins broadly as she steps into the library, her small backpack swinging lazily at the end of her arm. She was still feeling giddy from the previous evening. Last night had been different and almost bizarre, but still nice in a weird kind of way. Buffy had taken her out on an honest to goodness date.

A simple dinner and a movie, nothing extravagant but it was an entire, early, evening the two of them had spent together just being a pair of teenagers in love without the weight of the world draped over their shoulders. It was quite possibly the first time in her life that someone had spent time with her for her and not just the opportunity to get into her pants. Of course she was fairly certain Buffy's ultimate goal was getting down her pants as well, it just wasn't the blonde's only objective.

Patrol afterwards had been slow with only seven vampires being staked between the two of them. All in all it had been more like a moonlight stroll instead of a sweep through Sunnydale's normally frenzied downtown feeding grounds.

Faith had found the entire experience to be enjoyable, but in an almost surreal way. It was like nothing she was use to, but it was definitely something she could become use to. In fact Buffy's entire attitude the past couple of days was one she could become more then use to.

She had never thought she would be the kind of person to go all googly over public displays of affection, but she was. The more then friendly hugs, the kisses, all of it. She loved it and eat it up, though if anyone were to call her on it she'd have to beat them for it. Fortunately nobody was saying anything to her. Of course that could be because so far it was just around the Scoobies, which was okay with her.

She had seen first hand just how intolerable high school students could be concerning this subject. While her and Buffy didn't have anything to worry about physically, students could be even worse when it came to mental cruelty. It was something she didn't want Buffy to expose herself to. Especially not over her.

Glancing up as she nears the table she stops seeing a very dejected looking Willow, which was something she wasn't use to seeing. Most mornings Willow was running around reading this book or that one as she wrote a hasty paper. Normally she was too busy to make more then polite small talk, which Faith likes just fine not being one to talk if she didn't have something to say. With a quick peek at the cage she can still hear Oz inside so she knew that wasn't the cause of the redhead's misery.

"Hey," she says in greeting as she slides her bag to the leg of the table.

"Hey," Willow responds in a voice that makes her body language seem positively jubilant.

Faith groans internally without making a sound. The very last thing she wants to do is get drawn into someone else's life. Only problem with that being Buffy had already made her a part of her life, and Willow was a part of Buffy's so in a way she was a part of hers as well.

Pushing the books and papers back she hops up on the table next to the tiny redhead. "You look like someone just killed your pet guppy," she begins lamely.

Willow shakes her head, "that was last year. And they were goldfish," she mutters absently.

Faith stares at the unexpected and emotionless response, obviously there were more stories that she had yet to hear. Giving herself a mental shakes she reminds herself that she's suppose to be offering support not digging up local dirt. "All I meant was you look like crap."

"Thanks," Willow replies warily as she looks up at Faith. "I feel a lot better now," she says sarcastically.

Faith scowls softly as she says, "look. I know you and B usually do the whole sharing thing, and well. She ain't here and I normally don't share so good, but if there's something you need to get off your chest then I'm here," she finishes then hops off the table.

"Faith," Willow calls out quickly.

Faith turns back around saying, "yeah."

"Are you serious?" The redhead tentatively asks.

"Wouldn't have made the offer if I wasn't," she replies. "This has something to do with the hoops G has you jumping through?"

"How'd you?"

"Me and B do talk," Faith answers before Willow can finish her question. "It isn't all about quick gropes in the dark."

Willow looks down slightly as she says, "I didn't think..."

"Sure you did," Faith replies cutting Willow off again. "It's five by five. You don't know me, not yet anyway and you're watching out for your friend."

"I'd like to though," Willow replies, "so if you wanna listen to me complain about Giles and the useless work he has me doing then hop back up here, or sit down and do your homework and I'll ramble on aimlessly."

"It sounds to me like he's yanking your chain," Faith says a moment after Willow finishes speaking. "You gotta call him on it."

Willow stares down at the floor in thought as she asks, "you think so?"

"Trust me Red, from what you said G-man is trying to push your buttons. Don't know why or what he's hoping it'll do, but its a load of crap. If he told you he was going to teach you then he should be teaching you."

The redhead nods slowly as she mulls over what Faith just said. After a couple of minutes spent in silence the slayer hops off the table again. "Faith," she calls out suddenly after the brunette had taken a couple of steps. The slayer turns around to face Willow who says simply, "thanks."

Faith rolls her shoulders slightly saying, "don't mention it."

"I mean you help out a lot. So thank you," she says again.

"No, I mean it. Don't mention it. To anyone," she says slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'd hate to have to hurt you after helping you out and all," she warns the tiny redhead in a low voice with a dangerous glint in her eyes. A few seconds pass before Faith turns around and strides out of the room.

After a moment Willow manages to work the moisture back into her mouth. She thought Faith was joking, but she wasn't sure. The brunette slayer had sounded deadly serious before she left, but she had to be joking. Didn't she?

________________________________________________________________________

Last Chance - John Cougar Mellencamp

A cold day in December  
And I'm still here alone  
I look through my window and I surrender  
Should be gone  
But I've not place to go  
  
  
Last chance to get up  
Last chance to go  
Last chance to get up and go  
Last chance to get up  
Last chance to go  
Last chance to get up and go  
  
If there were someone  
I'd hold her  
If there was love  
I'd let it take me away  
But I just stay here alone  
  
Last chance to get up  
Last chance to go  
Last chance to get up and go  
Last chance to get up  
Last chance to go  
Last chance to get up and go  
  
I feel nothing I feel no pain  
I feel no joy nor hurt inside  
I only have myself to blame  
If I see that the world's past me by  
  
Last chance to get up  
Last chance to go  
Last chance to get up and go  
Last chance to get up  
Last chance to go  
Last chance to get up and go


	7. Chap 7: The Way

__

Chapter Seven: The Way

Giles was in a slight panick as he hurridly strides towards the library, his briefcase in one hand the newspaper, with its disturbing news, lodged in his other hand. Last night a young man, a student of Sunnydale High, had been killed, mauled by some creature.

It just happen to coincide with the night before the full moon. The first of three nights for werewolves to hunt.

He desperately needs to check on Oz. Make sure that the young man hadn't somehow escaped during the night.

Pushing open the doors he comes to an abrupt halt. Standing before him is a very determin looking Willow. To his aged eyes the redhead looks positively incensed.

"I'm not doing this anymore," she states sternly shoving the sheaves of paper at him. "You said you were going to teach me about magic, but all you've had me doing is meaningless research that you barely even glance at. I'm tired of it and I'm not doing it anymore. So either keep your promise and teach me or I'll go find somebody who will," she finishes with a slight hesitation. She had been working on what to say ever since Faith left and she didn't really figure out anything to say so she just made it up as she went along.

Giles lets out a hush breath as he mutters, "about bloody time." Willow gapes at the comment but Giles continues before she can say anything. "Do you have any idea how much time it takes to think up something obscure enough for you to research, but still relevant to the tenants of magic. Then have to translate the assignment," he gives a slight shake of his head, "I probably got less sleep then you have."

Willow looks mortified as she mutters, "then all that research was nothing but useless work."

"Not at all," Giles replies. "It was meant to introduce you to the basic precepts of magic, and since most spells aren't written in modern English, or whatever debased variant you Americans use. It also served to get you accustomed to a few of the ancient languages spells normally are written in."

Willow's expression changes from mortification to indignation during Giles explanation. "Why?" She asks in a soft, serenely calm voice.

Giles sighs lightly before he continues by saying, "magic isn't the playground of the timid. As you already informed me, your own foray has met with less then adequate results. In fact the only spell you were successful in completing has been the soul restoration. A spell you preformed under extreme conditions," he explains.

"Fat lot of good it did," the tiny girl mumbles dejectedly.

Giles gives his head a slight shake as he strides forward saying, "but it did." He tosses the briefcase and paper on the table. "It showed us that you do have the potential to be an extremely powerful spell caster. A witch, sorceress, what have you. But I also had to see if you would stand up for yourself. Most magic is performed under rather dull and uneventful conditions completely unlike the soul restoration. Since you've already proven you can work under stress filled circumstances... I needed to see how long it would take you to boil over under a low flame so to speak. Hence the nearly useless work you've been doing in the mornings.

"Also magic is volatile and for the most part it draws upon our baser emotions; anger, greed, jealousy, rage, envy. The trick is learning how to harness those darker emotions without succumbing to them. Plus there's also the chance of becoming addicted to the power that will course through your body. The feelings of euphoria is greater then any drug mankind has ever produce.

"For a personality such as your. Shy. Timid. It can be even worse then normal when delving into that kind of power. Especially if you've never confronted, or even admitted that you do in fact have those emotions.

"I've seen quite a few good and decent people, lost, if you will, to the dark side of their personality. If I believed, even for a moment, that you wouldn't be able to handle this endeavor I'd wash my hands of you this very instant. As it is you have some very strenuous work ahead of you. If you thought what you were doing before was hard work just you wait," he says finally finishing his long monologue.

Willow's eyes seem to brighten almost instantly as she figures out what Giles long winded speech means to her. "You mean," she stammers excitedly.

Giles give the slight redhead a slight smile before saying, "it would be my very great privilege..."

Before Giles can finish Willow slams into him throwing her arms around the librarian repeatedly saying, "thank you," over and over again.

Inside the cage Oz comes awake with a slight groan. After several seconds the young man remembers where he is and why he's there. Standing up he catches willow breaking her near death grip on Giles. "Hey," he says alerting everyone to his presence as he grabs his pant off the top of the gray filing cabinet.

Willow turns around beaming a brilliant smile at the him as she enthusiastically informs him of the news as she retrieves the key to the cage. "Giles agreed. He's going to be teaching me about spells and magic. Isn't it great?"

"Wonderful," Oz replies dryly.

Willow seemingly misses the undertone of the comment but Giles doesn't. Instead of saying anything about it though he asks, "Oz didn't get out of his cage last night?"

"Not since I've been here," Willow answers as she unlocks the cage door, "and Xander didn't mention anything," she adds as she pulls open the door.

Oz steps through as he pulls his shirt over his head. "Why? What's up?"

Giles frowns slightly at that. Oz wouldn't have broken out and then come back, not unless it was to eat the person on guard duty. "A student was found relatively close by," Giles answers as he hands him the newspaper. "And if you were secured all night then it means something else is stalking Sunnydale."

"You mean aside from the normal plethora of vampires?" Willow asks Buffy's watcher.

Giles frown increases fractionally as he says, "there was no mention of blood loss or throat trauma."

Buffy pushes the wood and glass door to the school's psychologist office open and steps inside. After closing the door behind her she takes the couple of steps before she reaches the desk. So far Mr. Platt is keeping the chair facing the window with its back towards her. Smoke was rising from the cigarette between his fingers.

"Two o'clock. Miss Summers," he says without turning around.

Buffy smile as she says, "Buffy Summers, reporting for sanity." Her smile fades slightly as he continues to face away from her. A huge cloud of smoke rises over his head as he exhales. "Look... I know that I have to do this, and I-I'll cooperate, and I'll look at your ink blots and everything, but... I don't wanna talk about my life or my childhood or... anything, for that matter, actually. And, uh... I don't wanna be friends here."

Mr. Platt finally turns around, "we're not gonna be friends," he says as he smiles at her. "You have friends already... I hope," he continues with a wave of his hand. "Friends are a good thing," he adds taking a drag on his cigarette, "mm-hm." He crushes the cigarette out in an ashtray. "They like you, agree with you, tell you what you wanna hear," he keeps going as he reaches into his desk drawer groping for something unseen. "That's not what you need right now." He pulls out a can of deodorizer, "what you need is a trained, not too crazy professional who will always give you his honest opinion." He pops the top off of the aerosol can and gives a couple of sprays around himself. 

Buffy just gives him an odd look but remains silent. "Which I offer." He looks back at her for a moment before gesturing to a chair. "Have a seat," he says capping the can and putting it away as she sits in the chair.

"Not too crazy? Those are your credentials?" Buffy inquires as she looks the older man over.

He gives her another almost disarming smile as he stands up and moves around the desk. "Look, Buffy, any person, grownup, shrink," he sits on the edge of his desk as he adds, "pope. Any person who claims to be totally sane is either lying or not very bright. I mean, everyone has problems. Everybody has demons, right?"

Buffy averts her eyes looking down at her hands as she answers by saying, "gotta say I'm with you on that."

"Excellent. So, the hope I bring you is. Demons can be fought. People can change. You can change. Now. Your turn," he says crossing his arms. "Let's start with why you ran away."

She looks up for a moment before she begins to fidget with her with her fingers as she leans back in her chair. She gives him a weak smile as she says, "that's a long story."

Mr. Platt shrugs as he says, "bore me."

"You know, I'm, I'm really over it. I-I'm moving on, I feel good, I'm, I'm even dating someone new," she sputters.

"All good things," he says gesturing widely, "but still, you're." He inhales deeply, "you're bringing me in at the end of the movie."

"I was dating someone. Uh, it-it ended badly. My mom and I were fighting, and I... kinda freaked," she tells him awkwardly.

"Well, tell me more about this guy. The Bad Ending Guy," he demands patiently.

"He was my first... I loved him, and then he..."

"Changed," he says when she fumbles for the word.

Buffy looks up in surprise as she replies, "yeah."

"He got mean?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't stop loving him. Look, lots of people lose themselves in love. It's, it's no shame. They write songs about it. The hitch is, you can't stay lost. Sooner or later, you... you have to get back to yourself," he tells her.

A secretive smile slips across Buffy's lips as she says, "I know. Its why I left when I did, but like I said... I've dealt with it, I'm in a new relationship. Everything's fresh... Different."

"Tell me about him," Platt encourages. "This new guy."

Buffy's smile broadens and her eyes take on a slightly glaze look as she breathes out a contented sigh. "Well..." She stops looking at him with a slight frown. "Nothing I... we talk about leaves here right? Not that I care or anything, but..."

"Its okay Buffy. As long as you don't tell me you're planning on blowing up the school... Or something along those lines, everything we discuss stays here," the large man assures her.

Her smile brightens back up instantly. Personally she really couldn't care less if everyone knew about her relationship with Faith. She'd just assume shout it from the rooftops, hire a plane to fly a banner proclaiming Buffy loves Faith, Buffy and Faith together forever, or something equally corny over Sunnydale for months on end until everyone got the point.

At the same time she didn't want to deal with the ignorant, or belligerent people of Sunnydale High. Namely Principal Snyder.

Still if she had her way it would be rooftops and planes all day long.

"It's like this. He is a her," she tells him and waits for the fallout. A fallout that evidently wasn't coming as he simply looks at her expectantly. "We met, kind of unexpectedly, but everything just clicks between us."

"Did you meat her in LA?"

Buffy shakes her head saying, "it was a couple days after I got back to Sunnydale. She's got the cutest little smile, which takes a lot of work on my part to see, but it's worth it. Especially the rewards afterward," she adds absently with a dreamy little smile blossoming on her lips. Suddenly her cheeks turn a light shade of crimson as she realizes how what she just said must have sounded like. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry... I didn't mean..."

"Buffy," he begins silencing her by laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Its all right. I want you to feel comfortable enough to say whatever you feel is necessary. This time here is for you, to help you deal with your problems, but it isn't going to work if your not honest. Besides, there isn't anything you could tell me I haven't already heard before."

The tiny blonde looks up as if to say wanna bet, but wisely keeps her mouth close.

"Hey guys," Buffy cheerfully greets the library full of people as she walks in through the double doors. A chorus of hey, what's up, and how are you doing from nearly half a dozen different throats fill the room.

"So what the crazy doctor say, are you certifiable?" Xander questions her.

"She hangs around with you X doesn't she?" Faith inquires as she looks up from her text book with a devilish glint in her eyes.

"Yeah," Xander responds as a thought occurs to him. "But she's dating you," he teases lightly then swallows hard at the gleam that suddenly appears in the brunette's eyes.

"Now all we have to do is figure out which one makes her crazier," Cordelia remarks with a thoughtful look.

Xander looks up at her with a slightly hurt expression covering his face. "You do remember you are dating me?"

"But everyone knows this is my rebellious relationship that my father doesn't want me to have with someone completely unsuited for me," Cordelia informs him cheerfully.

Xander opens his mouth, then closes it. Opens it again.

"I wouldn't," Oz remarks languidly from the other side of the table. Xander looks over at the short redhead this week. "You lost. Just admit defeat and move on. It's the safest thing for you to do right now."

Buffy grins at Oz's lazy monotone delivery as she reaches Faith's side. "Missed you," she says placing a hand on her shoulder. She bends down as Faith tilts her head up towards her. One set of soft, lush lips capturing the other in a deep kiss that ends suddenly with Xander's startled yelp of pain.

"What was that for?" He questions Cordelia as a pair of irritate slayers look towards him.

Cordelia shifts her gaze from him to the two smaller girls. "You do that deliberately, don't you?"

"What? Your trying to tell me I can't kiss my girlfriend?" Buffy questions with a soft growl.

"For Xander's sake, it might not be a bad idea," Oz comments dryly.

"Screw that," Faith replies in a huff. "Queen C can beat him to death before I give up my honey. Maybe he'll get lucky and she'll knock something back into place," she finishes with a small smirk.

Buffy beams proudly at Faith's statement. She looks on the verge of sticking her tongue out at the guitar player as she plops down in the chair beside her girlfriend. "What's got you in such a kill them all mood?"

"Algebra," the brunette growls, "what else?" She gives a slight shake of her head a moment before adding, "I'll take a pack of starving vamps over math homework any day of the week."

"That's because you enjoy staking vampires," Buffy informs her.

"That's the entire point," Faith responds. "I like doing things I enjoy," she adds in an overly suggestive tone.

Buffy's color deepens noticeable but she keeps eye contact with the younger girl getting lost in her deep brown eyes. The two continue to gaze at each other for several minutes before Giles clears his throat breaking whatever spell the two young woman in love were under. Buffy's blush brightens more from that then from Faith's earlier remark. "Anything more on last nights killing?" She asks breathlessly.

"Not as yet," Giles answers with a slight frown as he wipes the lenses of his glasses. Finishing up he slips them back over the bridge of his nose as he continues, "but until a full autopsy can be done we won't be able to ascertain if anything was removed from the body. Which would lead us to a particular demon and the ritual they may be performing."

"That's why the four stooges..." Faith begins.

"Four? I thought there were only three," Cordelia questions in confusion.

"That's because everyone forgets about Shemp. But there were actually six stooges," Xander tells her sounding like a connoisseur of fine wines.

Buffy looks at Xander, then at Faith with worry glistening brightly in her eyes. "Is this something I should be concerned about?" She inquires playfully.

"Not a fan of the stooges, huh?" Faith asks. Buffy gives a slight shake of her head causing the brunette's face to light up as she says, "have to see what I can do about that," in a challenging tone.

"I believe what Faith was referring to before she became so easily distracted was that Willow, Xander, Cordelia, and myself were going to break into the morgue to see if we can pin down the cause of death," Giles finishes.

"I could think of better things to pin down," Faith remarks directing a broad grin at the watcher. "But hey, whatever gets you off," she finishes with a tiny unconcerned shrug of her shoulders. Satisfied with reminding everyone that no gets to insult her, no matter how slight, without becoming fodder for her rather crude, often biting wit. Turning back towards Buffy, while Giles sputters slightly, she sees the petite blonde holding back a small smile. Giving her girlfriend an apologetic roll of her shoulders she says, "I got wolf duty tonight. Red gave those damn sad puppy dog eyes and I caved."

"She gets everyone with those things," Buffy replies knowingly.

"They don't bother me," Cordelia informs them.

"That's because you lack a conscious," Xander remarks absently. Cordelia's reaction is as swift as it is painful. The palm of her hand connecting solidly with the back of her boyfriends head. "Ow!" He shouts slouching down in his chair.

"Feel like a little training?" Buffy questions Faith as she stands up. She didn't really have to ask the question knowing what her girlfriend's answer was going to be.

Faith jumps out of her chair with a joyful, "would I," escaping from her lips as she tosses her algebra book to the table, forgotten even before it lands on the dark surface. "A little bit of Sparring is just what I need to build up an appetite for your mom's supper," she remarks grabbing hold of Buffy's hand.

Buffy smirks with a lot of amusement at Faith's nearly childlike energy. "I doubt if you need to do anything to build up an appetite," the blonde remarks as Faith drags her along. "I think it only comes with two settings. Empty and emptier."

Faith spins around on her girlfriend. It was a word she enjoys hearing a lot, even in the confines of her own mind, and often repeats it to herself when nobody is around to hear what a dork she actually is. She hates the fact that everyone is seeing her make a fool of herself, seeing how soft and childish she is when she isn't able to maintain the tough girl act now that Buffy is there.

Now they could all see what she is truly like.

Only with Buffy at her side she doesn't seem to care, not as much anyway. She had never thought she would be able to say that, but it was true. With Buffy by her side everything was nearly perfect. She could leave her past in the past and concentrate on building her future. That was what being with Buffy meant to her. It was something that made her fall that much more in love with her each and every second.

"What?" Buffy asks as she looks deep into Faith's chocolate eyes. At the tiny little glint of something she can only think of as hope.

"Just wondering what I did to deserve you," she murmurs softly before moving forward to capture the blondes luscious lips in deep, searing kiss.

________________________________________________________________________

The Way - Fastball

They made up their minds  
And they started packing  
They left before the sun came up that day  
An exit to eternal summer slacking  
But where were they going Without ever knowing the way?  
They drank up the wine  
And they got to talking  
They now had more important things to say  
And when the car broke down They started walking  
Where were they going without ever knowing the way?  
  
Anyone could see The road that they walk on is paved in gold  
And It's always summer, they'll never get cold  
They'll Never get hungry  
They'll never get old and gray  
You can see their shadows Wandering off somewhere  
They won't make it home  
But they really don't care  
They wanted the highway  
They're happier there today , today  
  
The children woke up  
And they couldn't find 'em  
They Left before the sun came up that day  
They just drove off  
And left it all behind 'em  
But Where were they going Without ever knowing the way?  
  
Anyone could see The road that they walk on is paved in gold  
And It's always summer, they'll never get cold  
They'll Never get hungry  
They'll never get old and gray  
You can see their shadows Wandering off somewhere  
They Won't make it home  
But they really don't care  
They wanted the highway  
They're happy there today , today  
  
Anyone could see The road that they walk on is paved in gold  
And It's always summer, they'll never get cold  
They'll Never get hungry  
They'll never get old and gray  
You can see their shadows Wandering off somewhere  
They Won't make it home  
But they really don't care  
They wanted the highway  
They're happy there today , today


	8. Chap 8: Hold the Line

__

Chapter Eight: Hold the Line

Dinner was moving along quite nicely. The atmosphere was light, the conversation touches on the unimportant, the trivial, even meaningless and travels the route to the absurd. Occasionally soft laughter would fill the homey little dinning room when one of the three women would say, or do, something the others would find amusing.

Joyce watches with more then a little wonder at how easy and happy the two young girls are with each other. She can't really remember when she's last seen Buffy looking so bright and open, carefree and joyous.

The last year she had watched helplessly as all the light, the very life itself, was drained out of her daughter. Replaced by a dark, cold void. Her own actions, when confronted with the why of it, had done nothing to lessen Buffy's burden. If anything they simply exacerbated the matter even further.

Even after her return home she was still distant, shut off from everyone around her. Her closest friends were kept at arms length, especially after that debacle of a welcome home party.

She had wanted to string Buffy's friends up herself after that.

It wasn't until Faith's arrival that she began to see Buffy acting like her former self. While it wasn't the relationship she would have chosen for her daughter, she wasn't about to stand in its way. Not when just being in Faith's presence was enough to make her beam so bright she could practically turn night to day just with the light shining in her eyes.

And Faith, the reticent, dark hair girl that had simply barged into their lives a few weeks ago. She was beginning to open up. Not that she hadn't been talkative to begin with, and she didn't stop bragging or telling tall tales, but a lot of the bluster was gone. It was almost like she no longer felt a need to pretend to be something she wasn't anymore. Like she was just becoming use to being herself and having people see her without the facade. In the short time Faith had been with them, Joyce had begun to think of the brunette as another daughter.

She's extremely glad for both girls and while it wasn't the relationship she was hoping for, it was better then Buffy being involved with Angel. Better then most of the people Joyce could picture her daughter dating.

All she really wants is for both girls to be as happy as possible. She can only hope, and pray that the two of them have the strength to stand against whatever the world is going to throws at them. And maybe for God to show mercy on anyone who tries to ruin their peace and happiness because she wouldn't

Joyce smiles broadly as she watches and listens to the two of them banter back and forth, lightly teasing each other. They were so easy and natural with each other, one simply seems the extension of the other, as if the two of them make a whole.

Watching them she knew one thing. She would do whatever is necessary to keep them safe. To protect them from the world for as long as she could.

The two slayers walk back towards the school, from an extremely pleasant dinner, side by side, hand in hand, arms intertwined. The silence between them is companionable, not tense or strained. Just two young people in love enjoying a slightly cooler then seasonal evening.

Buffy however could sense something was bothering Faith. Normally she would wait for the brunette at her side to open up, to come to her with whatever is troubling her.

It had actually taken Willow to point out the fact that Faith isn't the type of person to spontaneously start talking about the things she found vexing.

The tiny blonde had taken her best friend's advice, striking up a conversation and taken the lead in her and Faith's relationship. A lead Faith seems more then willing to follow.

Buffy still had to think up an appropriate thank you for Willow.

While Faith is more open- not just around her, but around everyone- its just the surface she was sharing. The things that are really bothering her she still didn't like to talk about. With anyone.

That is why Buffy now finds herself asking, "what is it?"

Faith looks up a slight tinge of fear sparkling in her dark eyes. "What's what?" She asks, but just a little too defensively for her own ears.

Buffy gives her girlfriend a wry look as she responds saying, "that what?"

Faith sighs slightly. She honestly didn't know what was bothering. She felt great, both physically and psychologically- the first time she could say that- but there is something nagging at the back of her mind. "Nothing's wrong, not really."

"Then why do I feel like there's this little piece of you that missing?" She asks the concern etching her voice.

"You're not," Faith assures her tiny blond girlfriend while giving her hand a tight squeeze. "Everything's perfect. For the first time in my life I'm someplace I feel like I belong," she adds. Taking a deep breath she continues by saying, "there's just this feeling... Like I can feel someone breathing down my neck."

"Waiting for the bubble to burst," Buffy murmurs.

"Huh?" Faith asks unsure of exactly what Buffy said or meant by it.

Buffy exhales sharply as the two of them continue on their trek back to the high school. "Last year, when I was dating Angel, it felt like I was living in my own little world. A bubble that nobody could get inside. Everything was perfect, and then..." She stops taking a deep breath.

"The bubble burst," Faith finishes for her.

"Yeah," Buffy agrees with a small nod. "Everyone told me it was a bad idea, that it could never work between us. And well, they were right."

"Hey," Faith growls sharply pulling Buffy to a stop. Turning the blonde to her she lifts her head so she could look her in the eyes. "What happened wasn't your fault," she informs her sternly.

"I know," Buffy replies as she tucks a stray lock of Faith's hair back behind her ear. "It still doesn't make me feel any less responsible."

Faith gives a small shrug as she slides her hands down Buffy's side, to her hips. With a light tug she easily pulls the blonde to her. "It doesn't mean you are though," she says softly, but quite firmly, while stepping backwards and pulling Buffy with her. She doesn't stop until her back hits a large, thick bole of an oak.

Buffy grins wickedly as she falls into Faith's strong arms. She knew if they stay as they are for any length of time, they were going to be even later getting to the library then what they already are. Her mind however was having a very hard time convincing her body of the severity of the situation. Mustering what little self control she has Buffy manages to murmur, "tell you what."

"What?" Faith breathes out huskily. Her fingernails drawing small circles on the sensitive flesh of Buffy's sides as somehow they had managed to find their way under the blonde's light silk blouse.

Buffy leans, arches, forward slightly, pressing herself into Faith as shivers run up and down her spine. Resting her forehead on the brunette's she runs her fingers through Faith's dark tresses just above her right ear. "You try to convince yourself that you deserve to be this happy and I'll try not to blame myself for things I can't control."

"You think you can do it?" Faith challenges with a teasing smirk a brief moment before shifting her head and sweeping in to capture Buffy's soft, lush lips with her own. Its a slow, sensual, smoldering joining that has Buffy leaning up slightly in an attempt to deepen the kiss as her tangles in Faith's hair drawing her closer. Pressing her body fully into the brunette's.

Slowly, after nearly a minute or more, they break apart slightly, breathlessly. Buffy smiles upwards at Faith. Despite a tiny tremble in her abdomen she playfully inquires, with an equally challenging tone in her voice, "think you can?"

Faith's broadening grin is the only answer Buffy receives. The next instant Faith is gliding back in, recapturing her lips in another searing kiss. Her right hand snaking up along her back to pull the blonde tighter still. Without hesitation she slips her tongue between Buffy's lips and enters her small, moist and extremely hot mouth. She feels her entire body, every single muscle, contract and relax at the same instant, from nothing more then this one simple kiss. Unconsciously she moans into Buffy's mouth as her eyes slip close and the moment slides into pure bliss.

A small smile plays over Buffy's lips. It falls away a moment later as she recriminates herself. A moment later it was back again as recent memories flash through her mind.

If she didn't think about it too much she could still feel Faith's amazingly deft fingers lighting a blaze along her skin as she melts into their fiercely passionate kisses of just a few short hours ago. An impromptu make out session that lasted far too long, but nowhere near long enough.

As far as Buffy is concerned, nothing would ever be long enough when it came to spending time with Faith. Whether just gazing at her- awake or asleep- talking with her, kissing her, sparing with her. Making love to her.

Not that the two of them have consummated their relationship yet, but it was getting harder and harder to stop themselves. Each time it took just that little bit more to restrain themselves. Each time their will to restrain themselves is just that much weaker.

Both of them want the time to be right, when everything is perfect. When they both feel they're ready to take their relationship to that next level.

Tonight had been the closest yet. With her brain not working, and her body running on auto pilot. Everything had just been clicking for them.

Surprisingly it had been Faith that had hit the brakes. Reminding her that they had to get to the library. That they were late already.

Late wasn't really the word Buffy would have used to describe their tardiness. Extremely late would be better, but still not it. Lost in the Bermuda Triangle, for thirty years, kind of late would do though.

None of her friends had said anything. Well Xander almost did, but Cordelia put the kibosh on that. Willow's face had a bright flush and she was stammering her words a little more then normal and she definitely had that look in her eyes that said I wanna talk with you missy. Giles had been studiously cleaning his glasses, and when he spoke to either her or Faith he stammered only slightly less then Willow.

So everyone knew what her Faith had been up to, but at least they all had the decency not to say anything.

A sudden crashing in the underbrush snaps Buffy back to the present. She silently curses herself for allowing her mind to wonder in the middle of a patrol.

She begins to spin as soon as she registers the noise. Her movements coming a fraction of a second to late to avoid the heavy body that slams into her. It was enough so she doesn't get hit with the full force of the impact. The blow is still solid enough to send her crashing to the ground.

Buffy whirls, bringing herself to a kneeling crouch, coming face to face with whatever it was that had come bounding out of the woods.

Her heart stops in her chest. Her breath catches in her throat. Her brain freezes as one word escapes her lips.

"Angel."

It wasn't possible. She had sent him to hell. Put the sword through his heart. Watched Acathla suck him down and seal him away forever.

"No!" Buffy snarls softly.

Angel growls at her. As savage, as animalistic of a sound as she has ever heard. A sound that couldn't possible come from a rational being.

He lunges at her without recognition. His arms outstretched, fingers hooked into claws meant to rend her flesh like some kind of wild, savage beast.

Buffy reacts instinctively, thankful for the nearly two weeks worth of intensive training Giles has been putting her and Faith through. Her reactions are faster then they have ever been. She's more comfortable with her own strength and abilities then she's ever been.

She grabs hold of his wrist with her own hands as she begins to roll backwards. Planting her feet in his midsection she heaves upward sending him soaring into the air, and then pulling him back down, crashing into the ground with bone crushing force.

Buffy continues her roll landing on top of Angel, straddling his chest. He continues to struggle weakly. Buffy can feel months of pent up rage, frustration, and humiliation come roiling to the surface as she looks down upon the face of the man that made her life a living hell for so long.

She had thought she was over it. That she had been able to deal with everything without ever really confronting him. With a snarl spreading across her lip that matches his, she pulls back her arm and delivers a massive punch to the side of his head.

Faith leans back in the high back wooden chair, easily keeping it balanced on two legs. Her feet tap lightly on the edge of the table keeping time with the pulsing techno beat pouring into her skull through the CD walkman's headphones. The walkman itself is nestled comfortably in her lap while she leisurely reads Buffy's American Lit assignment.

Call of the Wild

It wasn't bad, as far as books go. A little long winded for her taste. Nothing at all like the hard hitting action she enjoyed in comics, or the fast pace, pulse pounding action adventure books she sometimes read. There was something about it though that kept her reading, word after word, and turning the pages. She had no idea what it is, but then again she wasn't really thinking about it.

She was just glad she didn't have to take the class for another two years. If she passed all her current classes this year and the classes she would have to take next year. Then she might be stuck reading this book again.

She could still feel Buffy's fingers on her skin. Like ghostly touches that send little jolts up her spine short circuiting her brain.

They had been so close tonight. Closer then they had ever been before. In the dark. In the shadows provided by a large oak. Where if anyone looked closely enough they would have seen, would have known, exactly what they were doing.

Seeing so much desire and passion in Buffy's eyes, that hungry look that could never be satisfied, had almost sent her head long in to the abyss. She had nearly fallen right there and then. Rode out that wild current and the consequences be damned.

It had taken all her strength to keep some hold on her self control and restrain herself. Dragging herself out of that sweet oblivion by the bare skin of her fingernails.

Sex was simple. She was use to it. Had been since before most other children knew what the word meant. Its her weapon and her tool, and she's used it often enough as both to get what she wants.

That, however, isn't what she wants with Buffy. She wants every time they're together to be magical. Not just the first, or the second, the third, fourth, thousandth, or millionth, but each and every time that they're together to be just as special as the first. A complete and utter sharing of the love they feel for each other, to turn that ethereal emotion into a physical force.

And that hadn't been tonight.

She wasn't ready for sex to mean anything more then that. Not yet. She still too much in her past she has to deal with before she would be ready for that.

Only there wasn't anybody around that she could talk to. There was, but she didn't really think any of them are capable, not that they wouldn't try, just that they wouldn't know how to deal with what she would tell them. What she really needs is someone with professional training.

A soft touch on her shoulder causes Faith to jump. The chair topples over backwards, the book flying from her hands as the walkman crashes to the floor, and she flips back. Her left foot lashes out, her toes make contact with something hard.

Buffy falls back, the move taking her totally by surprise, while Faith rolls smoothly to her feet. "Oh, shit," she gasps seeing Buffy with her right hand pressed to her forehead. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know..." She starts, quickly moving to Buffy's side, brushing her hand away to check on the small bruise forming.

Buffy waves the comment off even as she allows Faith to look over the injury. "My mistake. Sneaking up on a slayer like that," she adds taking Faith's hands in her own. "Nice move by the way."

Faith gives a little shrug feeling her heart beat just a little faster. "I wasn't really thinking about... It just sort of came out."

"And if I was watching you do it to someone else instead of me I'd heaping loads of praise on your inventiveness, creativity, and accuracy," she replies playfully. A moment later a slight frown slides across her face as reality slips back in and she remembers why she came here.

Faith sees the pensive expression that settles on Buffy's face. "What?" She asks a slight hitch to her voice. "Something happened?"

Buffy gives her a small nod saying, "yeah. Something happened all right." Her voice is soft and she wishes she could be anywhere but here, but knows there isn't anywhere else she wants to be. Or anyone else she wants to be with.

Faith's eyes narrow sensing Buffy's distress. "What?" She pleads.

Buffy looks up locking eyes with Faith. She hesitates for a brief instant before she says a single word. "Angel."

Faith blinks at the word. She can feel the world tilt as it falls away under her. "What?" She repeats with a slight shake of her head. She must have heard Buffy wrong. It sounded like she said Angel, but that was impossible.

Wasn't it?

Buffy had sent Angel to hell. Literally. He couldn't be back. It wasn't possible.

"Angel," Buffy repeats holding tight to Faith's hands.

She shakes her head again, her black tresses swaying back and forth. "That's... How could?"

Buffy gives her head a sharp jerk. "I don't know," she says. "I was on patrol and he was just there. He came out of nowhere, like an animal. He attacked without warning..."

"Are you okay?"

Buffy nods. "I think you did more damage," she murmurs brushing a rogue lock of hair out from in front of Faith's eyes.

The brunette ducks her head slightly with the attention. After a moment she asks, "what happened?" She knows what she would like to have happen. She doubts it though. It wasn't in Buffy's nature to kill someone she loves, and Faith wasn't dumb enough to believe Buffy simply stopped loving Angel, even if she had sent him to hell.

"Knocked him out. Chained him up in his mansion," she answers with a shrug.

Faith nods at the reply. It was about what she had expected.

Buffy drops into the chair seemingly running out of energy. "He was suppose to be gone forever."

"And now he's back," Faith adds stepping close to Buffy. Her fingers caressing her silken hair.

"And I don't know why," she sighs resting her head against Faith's abdomen. "What am I suppose to do?" She questions softly. For the first time in hours, since Angel's return to her life, she feels a calm, a sense of peace, wash over her.

Giles pushes open one of the libraries two swinging doors and steps inside his sanctuary. After a single step he stops dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

It wasn't an uncommon sight that greeted him. In fact it was quite common to see. Though it was normally Xander, and only occasionally Faith or Buffy, with their head laid out on the large table catching up on their sleep, usually later in the afternoon. What he wasn't use to was seeing it at six thirty and the morning.

Almost as unusual, as the sight of Buffy and Faith lying half on the table, were the books scattered around them. Big books, little books, thin pamphlets to giant tombs. He begins to take a few steps closer to the table in order to see what the two slayers were researching.

"Shh," Willow breathes from the checkout counter as she sees Giles inching closer to sleeping girls. The soft sound causes him to give a slight start. He turns quickly to face the young redhead a light glare in his eyes. "They've been here all night," she explains. "Researching."

There had been a twinge of surprise when she came in this morning and found Buffy here with Faith. The last thing she had expected to see the two of them doing when left alone, not that she thought about what the two slayers did when they were alone, but if she did, them having their heads buried in books wasn't anywhere on the list.

When she found out why. Her throat had gone dry. She felt her heart accelerate, her breathing quicken as her fear spikes slightly, and she hadn't even been a main target of Angel's. Just someone he could play with to keep Buffy off balance.

She didn't even want to think about what Giles reaction is going to be like, what he's going to go through when Buffy tells him. Angel had killed Ms. Calendar, the woman Giles had been in love with. Giles had gone after the vampire, and nearly died himself. Later Angel had captured the watcher and tortured him for the better part of a day. It didn't surprise her that he didn't talk about the experience.

Buffy telling her what had taken place earlier this morning in halting sentences, with Faith supporting her. As Buffy talked, Willow was able to see little flickers of dread burst in the brunette's eyes. She could understand Faith's concern, and she didn't know if Buffy knew, whether she had seen the worry in her girlfriend's expressions, or not. It was something she would have to find out later.

It had taken some doing but she had finally gotten Buffy's assurance that she would tell everyone Angel is back. Buffy had wanted to wait until she figured out why Angel returned before informing the rest of the gang. Willow had convinced her the quickest way to figure it out why is by going to the person with all the answers.

Giles.

The man who is standing right in front of her.

There's a curious light burning in his eyes as he glances back at the sleeping slayers. At the table. At the books sitting on top of the table. Turning back towards Willow he inquires, "you wouldn't happen to know what it is they are in the midst of?"

Willow nods. "Its probably better if Buffy tells you what's going on," she tells Giles. Her voice several octaves higher then normal.

Giles takes a few steps closer to Willow. "It sounds serious," he states. The concern heavy in his voice.

"It is, but its really not my place to say anything to you about this because it really should come from Buffy and not me because its Buffy that should tell you what's going on with you being her watcher and you should really her it from her not me."

Giles blinks at the rapid fire delivery. "If you feel that strongly..."

"I do," Willow chirps. "Feel that strongly I mean."

"Then I want press you on it," Giles says taking a small step back.

Willow nods sternly. "Good, because I wasn't going to tell you."

Buffy keeps her eyes locked on Giles as her watcher sinks into the high back chair at the far end of the table. His face is ashen, drained of color. He looks as if the world has just been pulled out from under him. Or as if a bullet just ripped through his chest, his heart, and he can't believe he is dying. That these are his last seconds of life.

And she's the one who caused him this pain. The one that ripped his comfortable foundation out from under him. She is the one that told him Angel, the man who killed his lover, is alive. Back from his eternal banishment.

The entire time Faith kept a firm grasp on Buffy's hand, their fingers interlocked. Occasionally her grip would tighten causing Buffy a slight moment of discomfort. She didn't care. The pain simply kept her grounded.

Buffy didn't know what she would have done if she didn't have Faith's strength to support her. If she had to go through this alone, with nobody to turn to, forced to keep everything to herself. Driving an even bigger wedge between herself and her friends.

She was going to have to come up with something extremely special to show her girlfriend, her lover, just how much she means to her.

But first she needs to make sure Giles is going to be all right. She doesn't think she would deal with it all too well if Giles was unable to handle this. Or worse yet went off and killed Angel, or tried to and wound up getting himself hurt or killed in the process.

Standing she extricates her hand. Faith hangs on for a moment giving Buffy's hand a final, tight squeeze. Soundlessly she makes her way to Giles' side and takes a knee as she wraps her hands around his.

She could feel her friends eyes; Willow, Xander, Cordelia, and Oz on her back. Judging her. Weighing her actions.

Right now none of them mattered to her. Her only concern is Giles.

"Are you all right?" She pleads quietly.

Giles blinks coming back to himself. He works his jaw for a moment trying to find the words to express what he is feeling. Only how do you hold a seventeen year old child responsible for the actions of her heart. "I suppose I shall be," he says finally.

Buffy nods. "I know its way to soon to ask, but I need to know how he got out, why he's back? Why now? Even if its just a place to start looking. I'll do everything myself I just need you to point me in the right direction," she pleads.

His eyes harden as she speaks. A vicious light burning in his dark eyes. Pushing his chair back he stands, easily pulling his hand out of her grip. "I don't think I'd be much... Its probably..." He gives his head a hard shake. "I think its best if I was alone for a bit," he finishes then turns away from them. He takes several steps towards his office and comes to a stop. Without turning around he adds, "thank you for not keeping this from me," his voice thick with emotion. After making his statement he continues on his way to his office pushing the door close behind him.

"That was cold Buffy," Xander snaps as soon as the door shuts behind Giles. "Asking him to do that after everything that bastard did to him." Buffy surges back to her feet, whirling on Xander in one smooth motion. A dark light flashing in her eyes. Its a look Xander obviously misses as he continues. "Best thing you could have done was drive a stake through his heart and forget you ever saw him."

"You selfish little prick," Buffy growls rapidly closing the distance with him.

A resounding thwack stops her in her tracks as Xander spins around. A very angry Cordelia glares at her boyfriend. "If I treated my friends half as shitty as you treat yours, then maybe I'd deserve being called most of the names you use to call me. Not that I don't agree with you or anything, but I'm kind of curios to find out what Angel ever did to you, aside from sleeping with someone you were never going to get, to make you hate him this much?"

Xander stands there gawking at her as if she had just grown three extra heads. "No answer?" She asks just before picking up her purse. "If that's the case then maybe I ought to rethink this relationship," she informs him. Strutting to the library doors she comes to a stop a few feet in front of them. She turns back around to face Xander. "FYI. Girlfriends don't find it all that attractive when their boyfriends or so obsessed about another woman they become an uncontrollable, insanely jealous freak." Saying her piece she spins back around and sweeps out the doors.

Xander glances at Buffy, a glare still in his eyes and an angry red welt, in the shape of Cordelia's hand, burning his cheek. Without another word he rushes out the doors after what he hopes is still his girlfriend.

As the doors swing close, swishing to and fro, Oz lets out a low whistle. "Wow," the young man murmurs. "Cordelia to the rescue. Who would've imagined it?"

Buffy looks around sensing something out of place. That someone is missing. "Where's Faith?" She asks unable to believe that the brunette would leave her side. Or that she hadn't realized it until now.

"She said there was someplace she needed to be," Willow answers.

Buffy looks at her best friend asking, "where?"

Willow shakes her head. "She didn't say," she answers.

"I gotta go," Buffy says turning towards the exit.

Before she can take a step though Willow reaches out latching on to Buffy's wrist bringing the tiny blonde to a stop. Buffy turns her head giving the redhead a questioning look.

"We need to talk," Willow informs her.

"So?" Buffy asks nearly a minute after Oz excused himself. "You wanted to talk?"

Willow glances down then back up at Buffy as she chews on the inside of her cheek. "I'm probably not going to say this right, but I have to say it and I don't want you thinking I'm saying it being a witch or anything..."

Buffy grabs hold of her friend's shoulders bringing her to a stop as slight smile plays along her lips. "Deep breathes Wills. Calm. Relax. Start at the beginning and I promise not to think you're a witch. Unless you happen to turn me into a rat or something."

Willow returns Buffy's warm smile with a nervous grin. "No, no turning into a rat or anything else small and furry, or squishy and slimy either." She takes a deep breath, exhales sharply, then says, "I think Faith thinks you're going to leave her for Angel," in a rush.

"What?" Buffy blurts out. Not just her eyes, but her entire face widening in surprise. "That's insane. Why would you think that? Did she say something?"

Willow shakes her head. "Its what I saw in her eyes," Willow begins. "Like she thought she was going to lose the most important thing to her in the entire world."

Faith pivots on her heel taking a step away from the door to the shrink's office. She comes to a stop and whirls back around taking a step in that direction. She wasn't sure if this is the right way for her to go. Buffy told her the guy made a lot of sense during her session with him and didn't make her feel like he was getting all judgmental with her.

She wasn't comfortable talking with anyone though. Well there's Buffy. And Willow. Kind of.

But there are things about herself that she doesn't want Buffy or Willow or any of her new and potential friends to learn. Thing's she has done in order to survive, to get food in her stomach or a roof over her head for a night, that she wishes could simply be erased. Wiped out, expunged as if they had never happened.

"Screw it," she grumbles stopping in front of the door. She needs somebody to talk to. To unload all of this crap, she's carrying around, on. Someone who doesn't know her from Adam. Somebody who, after she steps out of his office, isn't going to give a flying fuck about her.

She steps forward, turning the door knob, she pushes it open. Faith stops dead in her tracks just inside the doorway. Somebody was standing in front of Platt's desk, his body shaking, almost blurring as it whips back and forth.

As the boy stops Faith's voice cuts through the stunned silence as she demands, "what the hell was that?"

Pete, at least that's what she thought his name is. Someone pointed him out to her once. She had only been paying half attention at the time, but slayer memory being what it is, she could have been asleep and remembered that much. Minds like a beer trap. Nothing escapes them.

Pete turns toward her. His face a hideous mask of molted skin and huge, grotesque warts. There weren't a lot of things in the world that could make her stomach roil and churn, like white water rapids, but the sight of his face was one.

"You're going to regret walking though that door bitch," Pete snarls.

"Get out of here," Platt shouts. His warning drowning out Pete's threat.

"I already do," Faith mumbles to herself as Pete closes with her in a fast moving second.

Grabbing her by the shoulders, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh, he slams her into the maple door frame. His right back fist sends her careening into several filing cabinets against the far wall. Without hesitation he leaps at her.

Faith's round house kick smashes into his gut. Pete grunts in pain, but manages to catch her foot, pinning it to his side with his left hand. Again the knuckles of his right fist smashes into her cheek spinning her around.

She manages to jump in the air as she twist. The heel of her right foot sweeps up slamming into the side of his face, rocking him back over Platt's desk. At the same time she does a smooth, nearly flawless one handed walk over to land on her feet.

Pete springs back up, staring at her with shock. Horror, maybe terror flashing in his eyes for a brief second. Only to be quickly replaced by rage. Faith didn't see any of that as her own anger and rage explode outwards.

With a savage roar Pete charges, only to be met head on by Faith. She ducks to the right, her left fist crashing into his chest, as she slips under his punch. Her fist shoots upwards, slamming into his jaw as she slides her body in behind his. A savage thrust from her hips, combined with the upward force of her punch, flips him up and over, high into the air.

He hits the floor face first with a resounding crash. Spinning he manages to sweep Faith's feet out from under her. She does a simply, backwards hand spring landing on the top of the desk.

As she lands, Pete's foot lashes out, kicking the desk, sending it skittering into the far wall across the room. The sudden movement causes Faith to stumble forward falling to the floor. She hits the ground hard a moment before Pete rolls on top of her.

Before he can strike, her elbow slams into his ribs. The slight respite gives her the time to roll to her back. Faith sees his right fist speeding towards her. She shifts her head slightly, just enough for his fist to whiz past her. It hits the floor with enough force to crack the linoleum tile.

Faith's right hand latches onto his forearm and tugs pulling him forward, at the same time her right knee drives into his left buttocks. The two actions more then enough to flip him off of her. As his back slams into the floor Faith rolls over landing on top of him.

Grabbing her around the waist, Pete hurls her backwards. She sails through the air like a run away rocket. Hitting the door it cracks in half under the force of the impact, partially spilling Faith into the corridor.

Pete looks around the room wildly. Trying to find any way out of the confining space. His face lights up as he spots the window.

Faith lets out a low growl as she see Pete rush towards the window. "I don't think so," she hisses. Pushing herself back into the room Faith launches herself at him.

A step before the window she slams into his back. The two of them barrel headlong into the window and crash through it, showing the shrubs with chunks of glass as they plummet to the ground below.

Platt stares at the window in amazement. His eyes wide as saucers while his mind replays the last fifteen seconds. Most of it had happened so fast he didn't even see it. Both of them had been moving so quickly that at times they appeared to be flying around the room.

Coming back to himself, as his smoldering cigarette burns down to the filter, the heat burning his lips. He gives his head a sharp jerk, the cigarette dropping from mouth. Moving to his desk he picks up his phone. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he knew a death threat when he heard one. Especially when it was directed at him.

The two slayers lay in a neat little sprawl on the sofa in front of the television. Its volume turned low as the scenes shift from one commercial to another. Faith lies with her slightly larger body on Buffy. Her head resting comfortably on the blonde's chest. Her nimble fingers skillfully stroke Faith's dark tresses. She mumbles something too unintelligible for Buffy to understand as her eyes slip close and she dozes lightly.

Buffy smiles to herself as Faith slips off to sleep. The one sure fired way to get the brunette to drop off, even when she's determined to stay awake. Her Achilles heel. Something Buffy had only found out about recently. She didn't even know if Faith knew about it.

Play with her thick, luxuriant, dark hair. Brushing it, running her fingers through it, braiding it. The activity didn't matter. Within minutes Faith would be sleeping soundly, peacefully.

That's what Faith needs right now. A good nights sleep

Today had been as emotionally draining for Faith as it had for her. Plus Faith had the extra benefit of going half a dozen rounds with Pete the super freak. There are still a couple of bruises visible, one a dark shiner covering Faith's left eye. By tomorrow morning there wouldn't be any sign that she had been in a fight.

Thanks to slayer healing.

And thanks to Mr. Platt, Faith's name had been left out of any official report. It was a surprise to find out Faith had been going to see Platt. There had been a small twinge of something. Anger maybe. At knowing there are things Faith would rather talk to a complete stranger about, then her.

Just because she understood why didn't mean she had to like it. But she did have to accept it. When Faith was ready she would tell her.

That was one good thing that came out of today. Mr. Platt knew about everything now; vampires, slayers, watchers, demons, magic. The whole nine yards. She didn't have to hide anything from him now. When he wanted to know what demons were troubling her, she could tell him and not have to speak in coded messages.

From what Giles said the watchers were going to have Pete transferred to a special institute they control to make sure he gets the attention he deserves. Whatever that meant.

She was still having problems believing what Pete had done to himself. Or that people could so easily confuse jealousy as a sign of love. All jealousy really is, is being overly possessive, obsessive, and distrustful of the person you love. Then amplify it to the, whatever, degree and you get the psycho boyfriend, or girlfriend, from hell.

Every relationship has to be founded in trust. Whether it was between friends, lovers, children and parent, student and teacher, slayer and watcher. Trust has to be there, and most of the time it has to be earned. Just like it can be earned, it can also be lost.

She can only hope that she can keep Faith's while helping Angel recover. If it came down to choice between them. Angel would lose.

Hands down. No ands, if, or buts about it.

Everything comes back to trust and love. And she would never be able to trust Angel enough to love him like that again. There would always be that nagging feeling in the back of her mind no matter how much she buries it.

Did I do something to make him too happy? Is this the day he loses his soul? Is this going to be the day he tries to kill me?

She doesn't want, and she wasn't going, to live her life like that. Holding herself back. Even if it was just a the barest fraction. She wasn't going to do it. Loving with half a heart, limiting what she could do, what she could feel. Constantly having that cold tingle of fear running up her back.

She had made her decision before there was even a decision to be made. She wants to love, to live, to enjoy life with her whole being. With every fiber of who she is, and have the person she loves so much be able to return those feelings just as completely.

The only thing she wants to do with Angel is help him recover. And the only reason she wants to do that is so she can lessen the guilt she feels for sending him to hell. It was selfish and petty and that was just the way it is.

If he couldn't understand that it was over between them, then so be it. She wasn't going to lose Faith over him. She'd live with the guilt just fine if need be.

Faith said she understood. The two of them had gone together to get Angel his blood. Brought it to him. Faith had stayed back, stake out and at the ready, while she fed Angel.

He seemed a little better. Calmer. More in control.

They didn't stick around for very long. Buffy could tell Faith was getting anxious being around a vampire and not using her stake. They had left Angel chained up. Maybe in a few days he would be well enough to release. Maybe?

Looking down again, at the brunette using her chest for her pillow, Buffy can't help the smile that slips across her lips. Leaning down she places a gentle kiss on top of her head. "I love you," she whispers into Faith's hair.

"Love you too," Faith mumbles back dreamily. A playful smirk spreading across her face.

Buffy's grin widens at the words. Even sleeping peacefully she still knew exactly what to say. Shifting her eyes she glances at the VCR clock. Its little blue digital lights let her know its almost quarter to eleven. "Time to go to bed sleeping beauty," she murmurs.

Gently, slowly, with extra loving care she shifts Faith's limp body in her arms so she could carry her upstairs to bed. Instinctively Faith throws her arm over Buffy's shoulder and snuggles in deeper. Clinging tightly to the blonde.

Buffy stands from the sofa easily, thoroughly enjoying the fact that she can carry her sleeping girlfriend up to bed and tuck her in. "Gotta love slayer strength," she says absently.

Outside. Shrouded in the darkness. A pair of baleful eyes gaze in on the young lovers. A low growl rising from deep in his chest. "Buffy! Mine!" Angel hisses as he watches Buffy cradling Faith in her arms and rise smoothly from the couch. "Buffy mine!" He repeats savagely. "Buffy mine! Buffy mine!" He begins chanting lowly as he starts prowling around the house.

________________________________________________________________________

Hold the Line - Toto

It's not in the way that you hold me

It's not in the way you say you care  
It's not in the way you've been treating my friends  
It's not in the way that you stayed till the end  
It's not in the way you look or the things that you say that you'll do  
  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time, oh oh oh  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time, oh oh oh  
  
It's not in the words that you told me, girl  
It's not in the way you say you're mine, ooh  
It's not in the way that you came back to me  
It's not in the way that your love set me free  
It's not in the way you look or the things that you say that you'll do  
  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time, oh oh oh  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time, oh oh oh  
  
It's not in the words that you told me  
It's not in the way you say you're mine, ooh  
It's not in the way that you came back to me  
It's not in the way that your love set me free  
It's not in the way you look or the things that you say that you'll do  
  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time, oh oh oh  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time, oh oh oh  
love isn't always on time  
  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time -  
love isn't always, love isn't always on time  
Hold the line, love isn't always on time, love isn't always on time  
Love isn't always on time, love isn't always on time, oh oh oh


End file.
